Ali Arsoy with Deanna Rhea

Ali Arsoy was born the third of six children in Kirkuk, Iraq, of parents from a rich, diverse, multi-cultural heritage with roots in Armenia, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Iraq.  Many languages were spoken in Kirkuk, a region comprised of Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen and Assyrians.  Ali grew up speaking Turkmenian at home, but many other languages at school.  As a result, he is proficient in singing and playing in many of Middle Eastern languages and dialects.  

Ali graduated from the Music Academy of Baghdad, where he studied classical Arabic music.  At 17 years of age, he formed a group with his two brothers, Mahmoud and Murad, and they played at weddings, state occasions and festivals, culminating with the prestigious Babylon festival in 1993.

Ali left Iraq in 1995 due to political upheaval and joined his brother Mahmoud in Turkey, where once again they played music together.  There, again, Ali encountered difficulties due to his multi-ethnicity and so he made a desperate bid for freedom in Europe, crossing the Furon River when he can't swim.

Ali now resides in Athens where he plays in many different venues.  He created his multi-lingual CD, "Ali Sings for Rhea" in 1997 and collaborates frequently with Deanna Rhea to create performances with song, music and dance.