Firas Zreik's Tarabesque: New Journeys in Arabic Music (RBA)

Firas Zreik, a Palestine-born master of the qanun, is releasing his new album *Tarabesque* with a live performance that merges tarab—the ecstatic, immersive listening state central to Arab musical traditions—with modern styles from around the world. The qanun, a shimmering Mediterranean harp, takes center stage as both rhythmic engine and melodic force, reimagined through maqam-driven melodies and rich harmonic landscapes that feel defiantly new.

Zreik performs alongside Gideon Forbes (sax, nay-flute), Ramiro Marziani (guitar), John Murchison (bass), and Alber Baseel (percussion). The ensemble shifts between a jazz quartet, a hybrid ensemble, and an Arab takht, showcasing Zreik's virtuosity and emotional range. A New Yorker who has collaborated with everyone from Simon Shaheen to Roger Waters to Residente, Zreik has transformed global perception of the qanun—earning the title "The Paco de Lucia of the Qanun" from the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs.

Doors open at 7 PM. Tickets are $35 in advance, $40 at the door, with discounts for students and seniors (65+). Presented by Robert Browning Associates and Lotus Music & Dance in partnership with Roulette and Brooklyn Maqam.