Music - biography

Ahmed Nejmedin Shekkur

Artist name: Ali Arsoy was born in Kirkuk, Iraq. He was the third child of six children with Turkmenian and Armenian roots. In his youth many languages were spoken in Kirkuk; a region comprised of Turkmen, Kurds, Assyrians and Arabs. Ali grew up speaking Turkmenian at home but many other languages in school.

He is proficient in singing and playing in many Middle Eastern languages and dialects. Ali studied at the music academy in Baghdad. At the age of 16 he formed a group with his two brothers and they played at weddings, state occasions and festivals, culminating in the prestigeous Babylon Festival in 1993.

Ali now resides in Athens, Greece. He has performed all over Greece in close cooperation with his event producer Manos Meletiou. In Athens Ali has played in:

- Night club "Free your base"
- Salon Oriental and Summer Club of Salon Oriental
- MAO Night Club
- Ferah Night Club
- Shisha Club and Shisha Summer Club 

Ali has cooperated with the bellydancers Rhea (Rhea of Greece) and her daughters Melina and Piper.

Ali has also made two CD's: Ali Bi Ghanni Li Rhea (1997) in cooperation with Rhea of Greece and Karma (2003).

Ali sings in many languages, such as: Arabic, Kurdish, Greek and Turkish. He is a professional player of the synthesizer and tabla (arabic drum), all together in a one-man-show. In his shows, Ali is using the best bellydancers of Greece, at the time being; Bob, Surraya and Sia.

Important shows has taken place at:

Babylon Festival
Dora Strato theatre
The ceremony of Cosmo Radio Station
Hilton of Athens
Intercontinental of Athens
President Hotel Athens
Holiday Inn, Athens
Kurdish Festival, Gothenburg, Sweden
Millenium Festival, Uppsala, Sweden