Taraweeh

At times lyrical, at other times ecstatic with powerful rhythms, the music of Taraweeh is an authentic expression of Sufi traditions – passionate, heartfelt, yearning for union with the Beloved.

The London-based band are one of the very few in Europe playing Arabic Sufi music – some of it traditional, some of it newly composed by Louai. Of course, in the Middle-Eastern style, the players are brilliant virtuosos who are also expected at times to improvise their parts!

At the core of the band are traditional Sufi instruments – the haunting ney (reedflute), oud, daf (framedrum), and voice. To this are added darbouka (goblet drum), and violin or cello. The music is complemented by the only 'tanoura' dancer in the UK, Shafeek Ibrahim. 'Tanoura'-style whirling comes from Egypt, and its use of layers of multi-coloured robes and skirts is simply spectacular. When instruments and passionate vocals blend, and Shafeek spins ever more hair-raisingly with billowing skirts, then we get the meaning of 'Taraweeh' – 'refreshment of the soul'.