This is one of a series of concerts produced by Arts Canteen which aims to highlight the connection between flamenco and Middle Eastern music, with original compositions and renditions of melodies from Andalucia and the Arab World that highlight both traditions’ commonalities.

Both Flamenco and Arabic music share the use of quarter notes. In many compositions, the taqasim is covered in quarter notes and quickly paced notes that are barely held for long. Other performers have turned inward, searching for the obscure origins of flamenco, in hope of inspiration. What they have found are pervasive Arab influences, touching everything from the style of performance to the very rhythms and scales of the songs themselves. What they have produced as a result is a fusion of Spanish and Arab traditions that is both interesting and inspirational.

With his top-flight ensemble, Iraq’s Attab Haddad Quintet blends Andalusian, Mediterranean and Arabic sounds with contemporary jazz approaches to create story-like compositions with the breadth of the Sahara and the intricacy of the Alhambra Palace.