Part of Manchester Folk Festival 2027

Exploring the parallels and celebrating the idiosyncrasies of both Egyptian and English folk traditions, Tamsin Elliott and Tarek Elazhary aim to find commonality, foster cross- cultural connection and help to heal the scars of a colonial past through meaningful and conscious collaboration.

A dialogue born of mutual respect and friendship enables instruments from disparate traditions – lever harp, accordion and whistles, and the Arabic oud - to speak with the same voice, the voice of a future-facing new generation wishing to build something new and authentic together.

Their friendship and resulting debut duo album So Far We Have Come, which was developed with support from the Alan James Bursary via EFDSS, is a testament to the unifying power of music, and won them a place in The Guardian’s Top Ten Folk Albums of 2023, as well as a nomination for Best Group at the Songlines Music Awards. The album captured the attention of critics and audiences alike, praised for its innovative blend of quartertone accordion, lever harp, and oud. Hailed by The Observer as "a poised, atmospheric fusion delivered by two master players”, their music transcends borders, inviting listeners on a mesmerising journey through landscapes both familiar and foreign.

Building on the foundations of their debut, which introduced their musical backgrounds and collaborative relationship, the second album marks a clearer articulation of their identity as a duo. The album was written and arranged in collaboration with producer Rowan Elliott, who contributes violin, viola and percussion to the core sound.

Recorded with a quartertone-capable string quartet (scored by Rowan), the album moves fluidly between Tarek’s Maqam traditions and Western equal-tempered scales. Shifting between sparse duo textures and the fuller resonance of the ensemble, the listener is guided on a broad journey, from the emergence of spring buds to the intensity of a Cairo heatwave, to the dark brooding of the winter sea and an experimental piece developed from climate data.

Inspired by themes of nature, humanity and climate change, the forthcoming record is a love letter to the world: equal parts a processing of grief and fear, and a celebration of all that is good in the world.

Contact the host of MFF2027: Tamsin Elliott and Tarek Elazhary

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