UAE-based hip hop artists Eslam Jawaad and Malikah are gearing up for performances at a number of major European music festivals this summer, beginning in Holland on June 22, as part of Africa Express presents…The Orchestra of Syrian Musicians with Damon Albarn & Guests. The UAE residents will be representing their home region as they entertain hundreds of thousands of music seekers at this summer’s festivities.
Eslam Jawaad, of Syrian and Lebanese origin, and Malikah, of Lebanese and Algerian origin, have rocked stages around the world with leading artists and performers including Wu-Tang Clan, Gorillaz, De La Soul, and Rachid Taha. This year, the pair will be touring across six major festivals, including Glastonbury and Roskilde. Jawaad comments: “Being able to express our culture in a positive light on an international level is incredibly relevant and important to the work that we are trying to achieve. The Arab word and its people are more than the war stories and tragedies you hear about on the news, the passion and talent that we are celebrating is a side that often gets overshadowed.”
Jawaad first introduced the Syrian Orchestra to Blur frontman Damon Albarn in 2009 on a trip they took together to Syria - Jawaad has previously appeared onstage in Damascus with Albarn’s side project Gorillaz. The Orchestra went on to record and tour with Gorillaz, and they have since come under the strains of the war gripping Syria, which led to Albarn initiating this reunion to demonstrate Arabic culture’s “strength and joy.”
Malikah, who will be releasing her new solo album later this year, added: “I’m honoured to take part in this historic moment for Arab Classical Music and am thrilled at the prospect of having an entire Syrian Arabic orchestra playing Glastonbury.”
The full European tour dates for Africa Express presents…The Orchestra of Syrian Musicians with Damon Albarn & Guests are:
June 22: Holland Festival
June 24: Glastonbury
June 25: Southbank Centre
June 27: Istanbul
June 29: Roskilde
June 30: Köln Philharmonie
Check out www.africaexpress.co.uk for more details.