Headfirst Editor's Pick
"Sensuous Levantine neo-psych threading together hypnotic tarab melodies with soft pop grooves and a nostalgic nod to 70s Turkish rock, funk and soul. Kazdoura are set to drench The Jar with trance-inducing vocals, swirling rhythms and sun-washed instrumentation FFO: Khruangbin, Bedouin Burger, Altin Gün."
Join the Headfirst mailing list for our unbiased recommendations.
A gig held at The Jam Jar on Thursday 10th April. The event starts at 20:00.
The Jam Jar are excited to present a UK debut from Toronto based band Kazdoura.
With roots in Syria and Lebanon, their music is a fusion of Arabic sounds with a soulful and psychedelic feel. Their irresistible groove and presence has been wildly successful online, reaching millions around the world, and we can't wait to see them live and direct on our stage.
Thursday 10th April
The Jam Jar Presents:
Kazdoura
+ Tarek Elazhary
+ DJ Hadie
Doors 7.30pm
The Jam Jar, Bristol
KAZDOURA
Kazdoura is a Toronto-based band that serves up Arabic fusion with a modern twist. Equal parts nostalgia and reinvention, their style is a cross-cultural blend of Eastern and Western music that blends Arabic with jazz, funk, electro-pop, and disco. Singer Leen and multi-instrumentalist Johnny Abou Chacra founded the project together, quickly finding success online, where their videos have collected more than 3 million views on Tik Tok. Leen is a Syrian singer whose passion for classical Arabic music led her to collaborate with both classical and contemporary artists in order to reinvigorate this music and introduce it. Johnny is a jazz-trained musician who jumped at the idea to learn and play songs from his Lebanese background.
Kazdoura released their debut EP "Wain" in June 2022, which received support from local radios in Canada including the CBC. They are now recording their new full album, slated to be fully released in March 2025.
TAREK ELAZHARY
Tarek Elazhary is an Egyptian oud player based in London, whose music weaves the ancient sounds of Arabic music with a modern spirit. His artistry explores the space where tradition meets experimentation, creating emotive, universal soundscapes.
Tarek has graced stages at festivals like Womad, OneBeat, Tarantella Power and MiddleBeast. In 2016, he founded Dokkan, an innovative musical project that blends Egyptian and Arabic musical heritage with contemporary instrumentation.
His collaboration with Tamsin Elliott resulted in So Far We Have Come, a critically acclaimed album exploring the connections between Egyptian and English folk traditions. A graduate of the Arabic Oud House, where he studied under the legendary Nasser Shamma, Tarek has taught oud at institutions like the Arabic Oud House, Al Darb Al Ahmar Arts School, and the German University in Cairo. passing on his expertise through years of teaching.
Entry requirements: 14+, any under 18s accompanied by 21+ adult 1:1 ratio
With roots in Syria and Lebanon, their music is a fusion of Arabic sounds with a soulful and psychedelic feel. Their irresistible groove and presence has been wildly successful online, reaching millions around the world, and we can't wait to see them live and direct on our stage.
Thursday 10th April
The Jam Jar Presents:
Kazdoura
+ Tarek Elazhary
+ DJ Hadie
Doors 7.30pm
The Jam Jar, Bristol
KAZDOURA
Kazdoura is a Toronto-based band that serves up Arabic fusion with a modern twist. Equal parts nostalgia and reinvention, their style is a cross-cultural blend of Eastern and Western music that blends Arabic with jazz, funk, electro-pop, and disco. Singer Leen and multi-instrumentalist Johnny Abou Chacra founded the project together, quickly finding success online, where their videos have collected more than 3 million views on Tik Tok. Leen is a Syrian singer whose passion for classical Arabic music led her to collaborate with both classical and contemporary artists in order to reinvigorate this music and introduce it. Johnny is a jazz-trained musician who jumped at the idea to learn and play songs from his Lebanese background.
Kazdoura released their debut EP "Wain" in June 2022, which received support from local radios in Canada including the CBC. They are now recording their new full album, slated to be fully released in March 2025.
TAREK ELAZHARY
Tarek Elazhary is an Egyptian oud player based in London, whose music weaves the ancient sounds of Arabic music with a modern spirit. His artistry explores the space where tradition meets experimentation, creating emotive, universal soundscapes.
Tarek has graced stages at festivals like Womad, OneBeat, Tarantella Power and MiddleBeast. In 2016, he founded Dokkan, an innovative musical project that blends Egyptian and Arabic musical heritage with contemporary instrumentation.
His collaboration with Tamsin Elliott resulted in So Far We Have Come, a critically acclaimed album exploring the connections between Egyptian and English folk traditions. A graduate of the Arabic Oud House, where he studied under the legendary Nasser Shamma, Tarek has taught oud at institutions like the Arabic Oud House, Al Darb Al Ahmar Arts School, and the German University in Cairo. passing on his expertise through years of teaching.
Entry requirements: 14+, any under 18s accompanied by 21+ adult 1:1 ratio
Other world gigs
