Aynur Dogan

In Kurdish, Hawniyaz means something like "being there for each other", and when listening to this album, one gets a sense of what that can mean. Bringing together the virtuoso performances of 4 distinct and world-reknowned artists for the first time, Hawniyaz is a rich mix of styles and influences, resulting in an engaging and delicately balanced sound. Kayhan Kalhor on the kamancheh and Aynur's haunting and powerful vocals provide the backbone of this album, while Cemîl Qoçgirî on the Tembur (or Kurdish Saz) and Salman Gambarov on the piano allow the group to gel with their subtle touches that frame the ensemble. Powerfully enchanting, this album blurs the lines between traditions in order to find its own distinct sound, and the result is captivating.

Arifa was founded in 2010. Since then they have performed in 24 countries worldwide at international festivals and venues such as the Concertgebouw, London Jazz Festival Southbank Centre, Kennedy Art Centre USA, Ethnoport Festival, Jarasum International Jazz Festival, , Jazzahead, Chicago World Music Festival, Amsterdam Roots, Bimhuis, Garana Jazz, Havana Jazz, Istanbul Akbank Festival, Shanghai World Music Festival, de Roma, Barbican’s Transcender Festival, Glatt & Verkehrt Festival, BBC Broadcasting House London.