After a moving performance at Habibi Festival, we sit down with the members of Taktouka to hear about the band’s journey from vocalist Alia Haju, beginning with how it came together after she fled Beirut with her cousin, Bashar Farran, the ensemble's bassist. The rest of the band—Daro Behroozi (woodwinds/synth), Calvin Lu (keys/synth), and Jesse Chevan (drums)—also share their perspectives, describing Taktouka as a family affair built on years of knowing each other and an ongoing exchange of knowledge and experience. Alia offers a glimpse into their songwriting process and reveals what the band has in store for the future. Together, Taktouka blend their diverse musical influences to create a sound that is undeniably Levantine while capturing the vibrant essence of NYC.
After a moving performance at Habibi Festival, we sit down with the members of Taktouka to hear about the band’s journey from vocalist Alia Haju, beginning with how it came together after she fled Beirut with her cousin, Bashar Farran, the ensemble's bassist. The rest of the band—Daro Behroozi (woodwinds/synth), Calvin Lu (keys/synth), and Jesse Chevan (drums)—also share their perspectives, describing Taktouka as a family affair built on years of knowing each other and an ongoing exchange of knowledge and experience. Alia offers a glimpse into their songwriting process and reveals what the band has in store for the future. Together, Taktouka blend their diverse musical influences to create a sound that is undeniably Levantine while capturing the vibrant essence of NYC.
44:57 Reflecting on the Band’s Opening Song, Shift El Qamar
46:44 The Story of Taktouka
50:25 Taktouka's Creative Process
35:15 Blending the Unmistakable Soul of Beirut With the Dynamic Energy of New York
56:57 The Meaning Behind Taktouka’s Name and Upcoming Projects
Taktouka is a band made up of Alia Haju on vocals, Bashar Farran on bass, Daro Behroozi on woodwinds and synth, Calvin Lu on keys and synth and Jesse Chevan on drums – all New Yorkers with wildly different musical backgrounds. They transform Arabic folk music with new ways of singing and performing by challenging some misogynistic lyrics and bringing them to new audiences to make them speak for women’s rights and to the lived experience of oppressed people. Their first album Bassara illuminates the Arab cascade of catastrophes via old songs and tales: people seeking refuge in other countries, the recent revolutions, and grappling with living in two worlds. The work redefines old Arab folk songs to both extend their cultural reach and to establish new and different interpretations.
Follow Taktouka 👉 https://www.instagram.com/taktoukaband/
Habibi Festival is back for another year at Joe's Pub, bringing Arabs, comrades, and lovers of music together in New York in these difficult times that our nations continue to endure. And for another year, afikra was on stage to speak to the musicians and bring their conversations and performances to you on afikra's Quartertones podcast.
Created with the goal of giving a snapshot of contemporary and traditional music of the South West Asia North Africa (SWANA) region, every year Habibi Festival takes listeners on a journey of the sounds wafting through the airwaves and living rooms of cities spanning Marrakech to Baghdad. This performing arts festival (now in its fourth year) is a collaboration between the Director of Joe's Pub Alex Knowlton, artist/composer/curator Yacine Boulares, and curator/producer Meera Dugal who are bonded by the goal of creating more joyful spaces for performance, conversation, and storytelling from this part of the world.
Follow Habibi Festival 👉 https://www.instagram.com/habibifestival
Hosted by Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu