About this Event
A spine-tingling fusion of contemporary jazz with the music of the nay, the flute whose history goes back to ancient Egypt and Sumeria.
Faris and BEJE are currently recording an album and will have just spent five days in the studio together. They will be on fire!
Audience reaction at a recent concert by Faris + BEJE at St George’s Bristol
’A very rich evening with great tunes, wonderful improvisations, brilliant solos…’
’The sound of the nay just knocked me out.’
’One of the best musical experiences I’ve ever had. Their music seems to come from pain, yet is full of hope.’
Faris Ishaq was born in Bethlehem. Mostly self-taught as a musician and composer, he quickly gained recognition for his inventive, crosscultural artistry. He is a nay master and also a percussionist.
In 2018, he won a scholarship to study at Berklee College of Music in Boston, the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world, where he received the ‘best student award’ for his innovative work blending Arabic music with jazz.
He has performed at both the London and Monterey Jazz Festivals, and collaborated with the multi-Grammy-winning jazz bassist John Patitucci on the single ‘Supplication’. His new solo album, , follows Tripolarity (2019), Nature Addresses You (2021) and Kham (2023). His concerto ‘A Wildscape’ received its premiere with the St Paul’s Sinfonia in Southwark Cathedral in 2024.
this evening will consist of David Mowat (trumpet and band leader), Knud Stüwe (oud), Timothy Funnell (piano), Andy Hamil (double bass, standing in for Federico Leonori, pictured above) and Paolo Adamo (drums).
‘Music can be a form of prayer. It can console, witness, and connect when the world feels fractured,’ said UK Jazz News recently. ‘For BEJE, this is more than a philosophy, it is the essence of the music they make … music shaped by reflection, solidarity, and lived experience.’
Photo credits: Duncan Cruikshank (above) and Fadi Dahabreh (top of page).
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Christ Church, Julian Road, Bath, United Kingdom
GBP 15.00 to GBP 20.00
