Listen! with friends
Bendik Giske
Espen Berg
Daniel Herskedal
Amer Dahbar
Afif Dahbar
Maher Mahmoud
saxophones
piano
tuba
percussion
percussion
oud
Listen! toured for two weeks in Syria in November 2008, as a part of a big international project “Dialogue and peace, Scandinavia - Syria 2008”. Meeting the people and the culture made a strong impact on the trio's musicians. They met local musicians and students who showed great engagement and interest in Listen!’s musical background. They didn’t even hesitate to learn Norwegian folk music - with an Arabic accent, of course.
A constellation settled during the tour, and in addition to Listen! it consists of Amer Dahbar and Afif Dahbar on percussion, and Maher Mahmoud on oud. All three are playing actively as professional musicians in Damascus, and their music have roots in both the traditional music of their region, and the improvisation. Listen! wants to create a follow-up from the project in 2008 based on a tour in Norway together with their Syrian friends. Considering the political tensions between the Western and Arabic regions, it’s important to focus on cultural exchange. The universal language of music will hopefully contribute to greater understanding and acceptance between the two cultures.
In October 2009 Listen! and their three Syrian friends will be on tour in Norway. Booking is in progress, and concerts will be announced countinously.
on tour: oct 8 - 25
