Founded in 2012, the Epichorus performs new music rooted in the Arabic maqam tradition, Hebrew poetry and other influences. They have released three studio albums, a book of stories, Bandcamp projects, singles and videos. They have been featured performers on New Sounds, and played in halls and temples across the country.
Ten at Dreamland; Healing and Lineage
Ten at Dreamland; Healing & Lineage is the first instrumental record from The Epichorus, recorded live, ten musicians in a circle at Dreamland, a church turned recording studio outside Woodstock, NY during the summer of 2018. Unexpectedly, our teacher and friend Bassam Saba was in town from Lebanon and joined us to record the album. These performances are some of the last recordings of the unparalleled performer of Arabic music and master of the nay (reed flute), as Bassam passed of Covid, on December 4th, 2020.
Healing & Lineage includes performances by the Epichorus of songs from the Arabic tradition composed by by Riyad Sunbati, Hamza El Din, and Saleh Kuwaiti, set alongside three new compositions from bandleader and composer Zach Fredman.
To accompany the digital album, the Epichorus will release a 70 page book with original artwork, photographs and short essays that tell the story of these songs and the artists of the generations who came before us, whose music became our teaching and our inspiration.
Click here to hear the album and purchase the book
Nanaa Al Gineina
Folk song from Sudan, about lovers in the mint garden, with singer Alsarah.