Nawaris Duo (Iraq)

Nawaris band was created by young Baghdadi musician Hussein Rassim. Nawaris can grow until a 5-piece band, including European instruments such as the cello, adding an occidental sound to their music. This time, we will hear the original cell of this band, the duo between founder Hussein Rassim and the percusionnist and singer Saif Al Qaisi, both of them fleeding Irak and arriving in Belgium in 2015. Both of them became rapidly very active on the Belgian music scene, thanks to their collaborations with many Belgian musicians.

Hussein Rassim: young iraki musician from Baghdad, oud (arabic lute) player, he was educated in the biggest music school in Iraq. Member of Solo Bghadad, he plays in Belgium with the band Arumbo (catalan music). In 2015, he is asked to record on Muziekpublique's project "Refugees For Refugees", giving birth to the album Amerli. Soon, he starts his own band Nawaris, Iraki music played with Belgian musicians (such as well-known Nicolas Hauzeur, Manuel Hermia...).

Saif Al-Qaisi: also from Iraq, this young musician plays percussions and sings with a melodic and flexible voice. He worked as a musician in Syria for 4 years, and had to flee the conflicts of the Middle-East, arriving in Belgium in 2015. He met Hussein Rassim during a concert and they soon started to play together. He recorded on the CD Migration from Muziekpublique in 2016. He then played many concerts of iraqi traditional music and he also soon entered the band Nawaris.