With a deep respect for the rich cultural heritage of the Middle East, Layale Chaker and Sarafand infuse traditional Lebanese and Syrian music with a modern sensibility. Their music is characterized by haunting melodies, intricate rhythms, and soulful improvisations that transport listeners to a world of beauty and wonder. Famed Syrian clarinetist Kinan Azmeh joins Layale and Sarafand as guest artist.
Deemed a rising star by BBC Music Magazine, violinist and composer Layale Chaker has been at the confluence of diverse musical streams since childhood.
Layale's debut album with Sarafand, Inner Rhyme, was listed as "Top of The World" by Songlines with a 5-star review, was rated #2 on NPR 10 Best Releases, was #1 for several weeks on the World Charts of iTunes and Amazon Music, and has received praises by the BBC Music Magazine, The New York Times, and Jazz World among others.
Hailed as a “virtuoso, intensely soulful" by the New York Times and "spellbinding" by the New Yorker. Syrian-born, Brooklyn-based genre-bending composer and clarinetist Kinan Azmeh has toured the globe to great acclaim as a soloist, composer, and improviser.