Drawing on the richness of their diverse musical and cultural backgrounds, in which a multitude of melodies and senses of belonging intertwine, Christos Barbas and Nabil Naïr present us with a highly distinctive musical offering, not only because of the format and the instruments they play, but also for its sonic character and the places from which they speak to us. After meeting through their shared interest in the modal music of Greco-Turkish and Mediterranean traditions, they discovered their shared affinity for the beauty of melodies, the atmospheres of delicate minimalism and the power of rhythmic interplay. From the intimacy and fragility of the duo – which affords them plenty of space to fill, or to leave empty – they recognise a growing need to create such spaces, and have thus decided to compose and share original pieces to explore these crossroads, shaped by a unique sensibility, attentive listening and improvisation. To paraphrase the Franco-Lebanese writer Amin Maalouf, their uniqueness lies in the fact that they straddle different lands, multiple languages and a wide range of musical traditions. This is their identity.
Christos Barbas (ney, piano, lavta, voix) & Nabil Naïr (piano, clarinet, ney)
Location: Rue du Commerce, 51, 1000 Brussels
