Nai Barghouti and Mohamed Najem, two of the most prominent artists of Palestine’s cultural renaissance, perform at St Mary’s Cathedral to raise funds for Unicef’s work in Syria.
Nai Barghouti captured audience hearts when she toured Scotland, England and Wales last year with the Palestine Youth Orchestra. She returns to Scotland with an all-star band that includes musicians who perform with some of the most popular young Palestinian bands , including members of the Awan Quartet, Al Raseef and the Mohammed Assaf Band. They join members of her Amsterdam-based group of musicians from the Nigeria, Tunisia and Korea.
Mohamed Najem, is a composer, clarinettist and nay player. Originally from Bethlehem, his solo performances have included the Ravello and Florence Festivals, Teatro San Carlo, UNESCO and the Montreux Jazz Festival (with Nai Barghouti). His newly formed band, Mohamed Najem & Friends have quickly become favourites of the Paris jazz scene, appearing at festivals across France and as far away as Gabon.
Featuring traditional Arabic instruments alongside standard jazz line-ups, both musicians respel the music of the Middle East in a new musical language. In defiance of a new age of barriers and alienation, these young musicians preach unity and creation at its finest.