Norwegian Radio Orchestra & News Quartet at Kulturkirken Jakob

At the intersection between Norwegian and African folk music

The similarities have fiddle music from Norway with fiddle music from Zanzibar? With this question called NRK veteran Sigbjørn Nedland to musical encounter between the Norwegian Hardanger fiddle player Anne lodge and Matona, violinist and oud player from Zanzibar. The similarities were numerous, the interaction was exciting and the duo needed reinforcements. Fiddle players were joined by Rajab Suleiman from Zanzibar who plays the qanun, and the Norway based guitarist and singer Becaye Aw (originally from Mauritania) and formed NEWS Quartet. During a festival on Zanzibar earlier this year the project was further enhanced with four string players from the Norwegian Radio Orchestra.

In november, the Norwegian Radio Orchestra plays for the first time together with the Quartet. This is an evening that unites Norwegian folk music of taarab music from East Africa.

Taarab music had its origin in Zanzibar in the 19th century. It blends tones from all the cultures that have influenced the area, and one can hear the sound from South Asia, North Africa, the Middle East and Europe.

The word taarab is a result from Arabic about stands for "having fun with music". That's exactly what we think will happen in Culture Church Jacob.