Composer and master qanun player, Firas Zreik, marks the release of his powerful new album, Tarabesque. He will be joined by Gideon Forbes (sax, nay-flute), Ramiro Marziani (guitar), John Murchison (bass), and Alber Baseel (percussion).

The album signals the emergence of a new musical language which merges tarab—the ecstatic, immersive state of listening central to Arab musical traditions—with modern styles from around the world. He places the qanun—the shimmering Mediterranean harp—at the center of a jazz quartet, a hybrid ensemble, and an Arab takht ensemble, reimagining the instrument as both a rhythmic engine and melodic force. With dazzling virtuosity and deep emotional range, he builds a world of maqam (mode)-driven melodies woven through rich harmonic and modal landscapes that feel defiantly new.

“The Paco de Lucia of the Qanun” – Washington Report on Middle East Affairs

Presented by Robert Browning Associates and Lotus Music & Dance in partnership with Roulette.

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Composer and master qanun (zither) player Firas Zreik has performed and recorded across the world as a leader and highly sought collaborator. The Palestine-born New Yorker has transformed global perception of the qanun. Zreik recently received recognition for his songwriting collaboration with Puerto Rican artist Residente on the song “Bajo los Escombros,” which was part of the Grammy-winning Best Musica Urbana Album 2024. Over the years, he has collaborated with a cross-section of leading artists, including Simon Shaheen, Amir ElSaffar, Roger Waters, Residente, G.E. Smith, and Fabrizio Cassol.