Karama plus Maya Youssef

Event information

As part of the Shubbak Festival of contemporary Arab culture, the Vortex presents two very different artists, both of whom take their inspiration from traditional Arabic music and meld it with a Western sensibility.

Karama, led by Moroccan Oud player Soufian Saihi take inspiration from the ecstatic Gnawa, North African and Arabic classical music as well as the diverse sounds of London streets. The music wanders through diverse sonic landscapes from Tinariwen to Alice Coltrane.

Syrian kanun player, Maya Youssef is a real master of this traditional instrument. Having recently collaborated with The Elysian Quartet, her music pushes the boundaries of what the instrument can do.