Jasad By Faris Ishaq

Palestinian Nay master, percussionist, and composer Faris Ishaq charts unexplored territories with the Nay, an ancient Middle Eastern flute dating back to 5000 B.C. Rooted in his Palestinian heritage, Faris celebrates its cultural legacy in today’s modern musical landscape.

Jasad-Arabic for Body- draws from the breath-centered essence of the Nay, one of the oldest flutes still in use. Faris fuses Palestinian Tashbib-a percussive, improvisational Nay style-with the rhythmic footwork of Palestinian Dabke dance, playing simultaneously the Nay alongside a leg-mounted frame drum and foot percussion. With exceptional dexterity and expressive nuance, he weaves intricate melodies, dynamic beats and live sound effects, evoking textures reminiscent of looped or electronic music while remaining entirely acoustic.

Born in Bethlehem, Faris has established an international career, performing at major stages including Kings Place, the EFG London Jazz Festival, and the Monterey Jazz Festival. He has collaborated with multi-Grammy Award-winning artist John Patitucci on their single Supplication, and is a recording artist on the BAFTA-nominated soundtrack Assassin’s Creed: Mirage.

Mostly self-taught, Faris quickly gained recognition for his inventive, cross-cultural artistry. In 2018, he earned a full scholarship to study Global Jazz Performance at Berklee College of Music, where he received the Best Student Award for his innovative work blending Arabic music with jazz.

Presented by Conway Hall.

This is an all ages event. Under 16's must be accompanied by an adult.