Ramadaniyyat: Naïssam Jalal and Hazem Shaheen

Flutist and vocalist Naïssam Jalal and oudist Hazem Shaheen compose and perform an intimate, meditative repertoire, bringing together the classical Arabic tradition of improvised taqsim and modern jazz.

Naïssam Jalal 

Vertiginous flutist, vocalist, and prolific composer Naïssam Jalal shines in her ability to forge links between different musical cultures and aesthetic fields. Through encounters, imaginaries, and memories, she presents a unique work for each new creation. Her music deconstructs borders and invents a singular language that invites us to open up to multiple horizons.

Jalal has received many prestigious awards, including the Grand Prix de l’Académie Charles Cros 2017, the Victoire du Jazz (French Grammy) in 2019 (plus 4 nominations), the Prix des Musiques d’ICI 2020, and the Premier Prix Jazz at the International Songwriting Competition 2022. In 2023, she was made a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters and a member of Women of Culture. In 2024, Naïssam Jalal was named best French flutist by Jazz Magazine and Jazz News for the third time, following her recognition in 2021 and 2023.

The leader of four groups, Jalal travels the world, sharing intimate and moving experiences with her public. Over the course of her 10 albums, she has established herself as one of the leading figures on the contemporary jazz scene, unveiling a personal and vibrant musical universe that gives new meaning to the word freedom.

Hazem Shaheen

Hazem Shaheen is an Egyptian oud player, singer, and composer. He studied at the Institute for Arab Music and the Bait Al Oud, where he subsequently taught for five years. He then taught oud at the Cairo Opera House. In 2001, he won Best Oud Musician in the Middle East at Bait Al Oud’s international competition in Beirut. He founded the band Eskenderella in 2005, which released the album A New Page (2014). Hazem has also released two other solo albums: Bread and Salt (2007) and Things I Miss (2008). In 2018, he released the album Liqaa in collaboration with Naïssam Jalal and produced by the Institut du Monde Arabe, which contains three of his compositions. He played alongside Ziyad al-Rahbani at the Cairo International Jazz Festival in 2013, the Beirut Holidays Festival in 2014, and the Beiteddine Festival in 2018.