Two worlds united
Falak

The story begins when Rima Khcheich met Dutch jazz musicians Yuri Honing (saxophone), Tony Overwater (double-bass) and Joost Lijbaart (drums). They performed together in Beirut, at al-Madina Theater in 1998. The chemistry felt like magic, and Orient-Express, the project, band and CD were born. Then, on her solo debut Yalalalli, Khcheich transgressed tradition, recording an Arabic muwashah with bass player Tony Overwater for the first time. The result was stunning.
In the summer of 2006, Khcheich visited The Netherlands to perform a concert at the War and Peace Conference in Amsterdam. She performed with Tony Overwater, Yuri Honing, Maarten van der Grinten and Joost Lijbaart, the result was so gripping, the group committed immediately to producing a new album. Ali Khatib, acclaimed Lebanese Riq player, also joined the group.
The power of Khcheich's project lies in the gift of her voice and rendition, but also, and perhaps foremostly, in reviving a classical repertoire with a jazzy approach, without ever losing the essence of that musical heritage of tarab, namely enchantment.