Sandfly

Sandfly is the music project of Sami Moussa, also known as Samir Moussa. The act is active in 2002, and Moussa is a musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who plays guitar, piano, drums and bass. He also speaks four languages and performs songs in French and Spanish.

Background

Moussa’s background shapes Sandfly’s music, which draws on Lebanese and Colombian influences. The project presents pop-rock material with rock-reggae elements, and its songs often carry explicit messages. The material is described as combining textured melodies with lyrics focused on social and political themes.

Origin of the name

The name Sandfly comes from an incident in 2000, when Moussa is working in Costa Rica as a translator for the documentary film The Hidden People. During filming, he is bitten by a sandfly carrying a parasite, later treated at the National Institute for Health. He then learns of an indigenous medicine said to kill the parasite in a few days, and the project takes its name from that experience.

Releases and recognition

Sandfly’s debut CD is SurpRISE, which includes “For The Sun (AOM)”. That track reaches number one for a week on an internet radio station featuring independent bands. Sandfly also appears on two separate compilation CDs honouring songs for peace in 2002. Another release, Ambassadors Of Morning, is described as a conceptual rock-reggae recording and is said to have sold in countries including Brazil, Sweden and Japan.

Performances and activity

Sandfly and Moussa perform at San Francisco’s Fillmore, sharing bills with The Roots, Erykah Badu, Femi Kuti and Karl Denson. The project also performs at the March 20 Peace Rally in San Francisco in front of 50,000 people, and receives praise from The International A.N.S.W.E.R. coalition for that appearance. Further peace rally appearances follow in 2004 and on 24 September 2005. Sandfly also gives live radio performances and interviews in San Francisco, including at KPFA and KPOO. Moussa performs internationally in Canada, Lebanon, Colombia, Denmark and Greece.

Other details

Sandfly appears on the TowerRecords.com best-sellers list in 2005 and 2006. The project is also associated with an in-depth interview planned for Globalization101.org. The music is presented as part of Moussa’s wider aim of using performance to communicate ideas of peace and social change.