Amir ElSaffar's Two Rivers Ensemble

Description

Two Rivers Ensemble is a sextet of Middle Eastern jazz musicians that has made innovative strides in using the Arabic maqam modal system to transform the jazz idiom. ElSaffar, an expert trumpeter with a classical background, has been described as “uniquely poised to reconcile jazz and Arabic music” (the Wire). With musical traditions from Iraq and nearby regions blended with the language of swing, improvisation and group interaction, the ensemble represents a distinct contemporary cross-cultural musical fusion.