The band was founded in 2007 and their music draws influences from around the world, including Middle Eastern and Nordic folk and traditional music, as well as jazz, Persian and Latin
Swedish band Tarabband's Arab world tour is set to begin on Thursday, 28 July.
Tarabband (a word game on tarab and band, tarab meaning “ecstasy through music”) was formed in 2007 by Iraq-born lead singer and saz player Nadin Al-Khalidi, who came to Sweden as a refugee in 2002.
The six-member ensemble is based in the cosmopolitan city of Malmo, Sweden.
The band originally started off playing traditional Arabic songs by the Rahbani Brothers and Mohamed Abdel Wahab, before beginning to write and compose their own music.
Their unique style of Arab music draws influences from around the world, from Middle Eastern and Nordic folk and traditional music, to jazz, Persian and Latin.
Their songs are often based on real-life events, revolving around the suffering of Arab people. The band describe themselves on their Facebook page as a “musical and poetic journey of survival, exile, life and rebirth.”
Over the past month, Tarabband have played shows in Paris, Malaga, London, Manchester and Liverpool.
They took part in the Liverpool Arab Art Festival, a one-of-its-kind event in the UK, which was held between 15 and 24 July, and brought together 147 artists from Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Syria, Palestine and many more. The festival comprised 35 events, including a wide variety of activities and art forms such as dance, visual arts exhibitions, stand-up comedy, debates, workshops, films, poetry and regional food, all dedicated to arab culture.
As their European tour comes to an end, the musicians will be heading to Ramallah on 28 July and will participate in the Palestine International Festival for Dance and Music alongside other widely acclaimed artists such as Tunisian musician Ghalia Benali and electronic Palestinian street music band 47SOUL.
The Swedish band is also set to participate in the Moroccan Joudour Festival (held between 5 and 7 August in Essaouira) on 5 August. They will then take part in the International Sousse Festival In Tunisia (which will take place between 14 July and 18 August), an event designed to celebrate the diversity of culture around the world, on 10 August.
In June 2015, Tarabband held three different concerts in Egypt, sharing their music at the El-Sawy Culturewheel, Cairo Jazz Club and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
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