In 2017, Casa Árabe is celebrating its tenth anniversary with several activities, including this extraordinary concert to be given by Iraqi musician Naseer Shamma, one of the finest Arabic oud players of all time. Naseer Shamma is a living example of many of the values with which Casa Árabe identifies, staking a claim on the roots of Arab culture while at the same time expressing a clear commitment to seeking innovation and dialogue with other cultural traditions, mainly in the world of music in his case. This amazing Arabic oud player, who was given the name of “The Young Ziryab” when he first started performing (in reference to the great musician of Al-Andalus), has given concerts on five continents and is renowned worldwide. Naseer Shamma plays the oud by combining traditional methods with his own modern, original compositions. One of his universal contributions to the oud’s development is the production of the eight-string oud (instead of the six strings traditionally used), made on the basis of a manuscript left behind by the great scientist, musician and philosopher of Islam, Abu Nasr Al-Farabi (a famous music theorist from the ninth century).

To help celebrate Casa Árabe’s tenth anniversary, Naseer Shamma has accepted the challenge of appearing on stage at the Teatros del Canal, along with three other performers who represent quite different styles. Mahmud Fares comes from the city of Aleppo, the cradle of Syria’s musical tradition, and is one of the most important voices in Sufi song throughout the Middle East. As for Nabyla Maan, she offers a contemporary focus on traditional Moroccan music, using her voice to contribute surprising fusions with jazz and different styles of world music. Last of all, the great Perico Sambeat, a living jazz legend in our country, will be adding the Spanish touch to the concert, in its most contemporary section. The full ensemble will be completed with the participation of Salah Sabbagh (percussion), Abdelsalam Nayti (qanun), Tarik Hilal (guitar) and Mohammed Babli (dervish).