Échappées orientales

Ausflug in den Orient

Eastern Escapes

Escapadas orientales

Orientalne wojaże

Fughe d'Oriente

This is a musical journey through ancient traditions of driving persussion and traditional instruments like the oud. A cultural heritage dating back thousands of years and that has enveloped myriad influences. Mediterranean sweetness tinges these colourful folk sounds that oscillate between tradition and modernity. 

Michal Elia Kamal and her group Light in Babylon are regulars at major world music festivals. The Istanbul-based musician happily blends Iranian sounds with Sephardic melodies. Whether it's Hebrew, Turkish, Farsi or Arabic, all languages are given equal footing here. A welcome ray of hope at a time when the clouds are gathering over the Middle East.

Bardentreffen Festival 2024

Michal Elia Kamal and her group Light in Babylon are regular fixtures at major world music festivals.

Light in Babylon

At Jazz sous les Pommiers, pianist André Manoukian pays musical tribute to his grandmother. The concert features his quartet, singer Dafné Kritharas and the Balkanes choir.

Jazz sous les Pommiers 2024

André Manoukian presents his intimate Anouch project at Jazz sous les Pommiers.

André Manoukian 4tet, Balkanes and Dafné Kritharas

A multicultural session with the AySay band, who mix Danish, Kurdish and Turkish influences to build their own original sound world for Eurosonic.

Eurosonic 2024

Danish, Kurdish and Turkish cultures meet at Eurosonic through AySay.

AySay

Dhafer Youssef demonstrates his total mastery of the oud at Cosmo Jazz Festival. The perfect opportunity to hear some cuts from his 2019 album Sounds of Mirror.

Cosmo Jazz 2023

Contemporary oud master Dhafer Youssef at the Cosmo Jazz Festival.

Dhafer Youssef

Marina Satti boldly marches through musical frontiers. This Greek artist with Sudanese roots gleefully draws on Arabic pop and Balkan folk to create her uniquely Aegean hip hop sound. 

Europavox Sessions 2023

Marina Satti demonstrates her global influences and magnificent talent at Europavox Festival.

Marina Satti

Born in Iran and now based in Berlin, Mohammad Reza Mortazavi is one of the world's leading percussionists. As a child, he was fascinated by the musical possibilities of the tombak and the daf. The orchestral rhythms and sounds he can now produce transcend the traditional techniques and playing styles of these two Iranian instruments.

30 years of Tresor

Genius percussionist M. R. Mortazavi draws unprecedented sounds from two traditional Iranian instruments: The tombak and the daf.

Mohammad Reza Mortazavi

Franco-Greek singer and modern day Circe Dafné Kritharas bewitches festival-goers at Cosmo Jazz. A blend of jazz and Ottoman influences.