Joe's Pub Unveils the Line-Up for its Third Annual Habibi Festival

Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater has unveiled the lineup for the third annual Habibi Festival. It will take place over six nights: Sunday, October 1, and from Tuesday–Saturday, October 3–7. Tickets are on sale here.
 
The festival represents a variety of cultures from the South West Asia North Africa (SWANA) region and returns in 2023 after two years of sold-out runs (in 2021 and 2022). Created to offer audiences a snapshot of contemporary and traditional music from the SWANA region, Habibi Festival aims to take listeners on a journey through the sounds wafting across the airwaves and into the living rooms of cities spanning Marrakech to Baghdad. Learn more about the 2023 artists here + find the full schedule below and here.
 
Habibi Festival is curated by saxophonist/composer/curator Yacine Boulares, artist/curator/producer Meera Dugal, and Director of Joe's Pub at The Public Theater, Alex Knowlton, who are bonded by the goal to create more joyful spaces for performances and perspectives from artists rooted in the SWANA region.
 
In discussing the festival, Boulares, and Dugal said, “We want Habibi Festival to make New York's SWANA diaspora community feel a sense of pride and connection to their roots as well as reach audiences who are experiencing these sounds and traditions for the first time and now have a joyful and magical touchpoint in their conception of the Arab world.”
 
They conclude, “Our immigration system makes it extremely difficult for artists from this region to get touring visas let alone touring opportunities in the US. We're so grateful to be able to help these artists cross the border, that they say yes to joining us, and that we can be in community with other venues and promoters to make the trek here worthwhile. We strive to have Habibi just be a first or early stop in a long and fruitful relationship with New York and other parts of the country.”
 
Over six nights, Habibi Festival 2023 will feature jubilant performances, conversations, and storytelling. The festival lineup includes: award-winning Palestinian oud player, Clarissa Bitar whose music incorporates a multitude of genres; a new solo project from Algerian raï allstar Sofiane Saidi; the U.S. debuts of Franco-Algerian cellist Nesrine, Lebanese Arabic maqam virtuoso Firas Andari, and Moroccan-French neo-gnawa-rock ensemble Bab L’Bluz led by vocalist and guembri player, Yousra Mansour; and the world premiere of a new project by Lebanese-American pianist and composer Tarek Yamani, in collaboration with Habibi Festival co-founder Yacine Boulares.
 
Returning to the Habibi Festival are conversations between sets, with artists and festival partner afikra | عفكرة . afikra is a global organization, founded by Mikey Muhanna, that promotes inquiry into and conversations on the diversity and richness of the Arab world’s cultures and histories. Learn more about afikra here.
 

HABIBI FESTIVAL 2023 SCHEDULE

October 1 & October 3 –7, 2023 @ 7:00pm EST

Night 1 | October 1, 2023: Firas Andari + Omar Offendum

Night 2 | October 3, 2023: Firas Andari + Tarek Yamani & Yacine Boulares Quartet

Night 3 | October 4, 2023: Tarek Yamani & Yacine Boulares Quartet + Bab L’bluz

Night 4 | October 5, 2023: Nesrine + Bab L'Bluz

Night 5 | October 6, 2023: Clarissa Bitar + Sofiane Saidi

Night 6 | October 7, 2023: Nesrine + Sofiane Saidi

ARTIST BIOS:
 

Firas Andari
Firas Andari is a Beirut-based singer, multi-instrumentalist, composer, educator, and actor. Born in Lebanon in 1997, he started singing at age 6. At age 12, he began studying the Levantine musical tradition of muwashahat and qudud with Dr. Hayyaf Yassine. Later he joined Antonine University to study oud playing professionally with Mustafa Said. At Said’s hands, Andari learned a classical repertoire by ear, which Said had learned by ear from the sheikhs in Egypt. This gives Andari access to a music culture that is all but lost: the notation of Arabic music at the beginning of the twentieth century caused it to lose much of the variable microtones that made its richness, simply because Western standard notation cannot express the exact intonations in the maqam music. Andari also learned the traditions carried by each maqam, defining its habitual phrases, melodic development, which had been passed down by oral tradition. For this reason, Andari’s auditory knowledge of this repertoire gives him access to a culture no longer transmitted in conservatories. Far from being conservative in his approach, his musical creation is resolutely innovative. Firmly rooted in the canonical origins of the Maqam music and sourced from its historical repertoire, Andari’s work forges its own contemporary language. In addition to classical maqam music, Firas performs Arabic folk music regularly across Lebanon. As a member of the ASIL Ensemble, he has participated in international festivals such as Shubbak at the Barbican in London and Spoleto in Italy.
 
Bab L’Bluz
Bab L’ Bluz, meaning “The Gate to the Blues,” is a Franco-Moroccan musical ensemble that emerged in 2018 in Marrakech. This Moroccan psychedelic rock group draws inspiration from Gnawa and Hassani traditions, skillfully blending contemporary rock music and Moroccan popular music. The band was founded when Moroccan singer/guitarist Yousra Mansour and French guitarist/producer Brice Bottin crossed paths in Marrakech in 2017. United by their passion for Gnawa music, they embarked on a journey to master the guembri, a traditional instrument. By mid-2017, they had composed a fresh collection of 10 powerful tracks that melded modern sensibilities with the analog sounds of the 1960s and 1970s. In mid-2018, the band welcomed fellow musicians Jérôme Bartholomé and Hafid Zouaoui from Lyon, solidifying their lineup. They marked their inaugural live performance on Radio Nova.
 
Bab L’ Bluz’s music has resonated on international stages, including festivals like Arabesque, L’Boulevard, Rock Am Bach, Le Péristyle, the Lyon Opera Underground, and ARTE concerts. In June 2020, they released their debut album, “Nayda!,” through Real World Records. The release of “Nayda!” garnered acclaim from critics and audiences alike. It secured accolades such as Mojo’s Top 10 World Albums of the Year, recognition in Songlines’ Best Albums of 2020, mentions in The New York Times, Vogue Arabia, BBC, Le Monde, Financial Times, Pan African Music, Uncut, and Radio Nova. In 2021, Bab L’ Bluz clinched the Songlines Music Awards in the Fusion category, solidifying their reputation as boundary-pushing creators who meld tradition with contemporary sounds.
 
Sofiane Saidi
Sofiane Saidi is an Algerian-born singer, songwriter, and musician who has gained international recognition for his unique blend of contemporary electronic music and traditional North African sounds. Born and raised in the vibrant city of Sid bel Abbes, Algeria, Sofiane’s musical journey began at a young age when he discovered a passion for singing and performing.
 
Drawing inspiration from his cultural heritage and the diverse musical traditions of Algeria, Sofiane embarked on a mission to bridge the gap between past and present, fusing traditional Rai music with modern electronic beats and production techniques. His innovative approach to music quickly gained attention and allowed him to carve out a niche for himself in the global music scene. He has collaborated with renowned musicians and producers from various genres ranging from Senegalese hip-hop artists Tukuleur, Acid Arab, Natacha Atlas and Smadj, and Raina Rai.
 
Over the years, Sofiane has released several critically acclaimed albums, including “El Mordjane” and “Sofiane Saidi & Mazalda.” Through his artistry, he continues to celebrate and preserve the rich musical heritage of Algeria while simultaneously pushing its boundaries into new and exciting territories. With his passion, talent, and unwavering dedication to his craft, Sofiane Saidi is aptly named the “Prince of Rai 2.0.”
 
Nesrine
When Nesrine Belmokh and her trio NES emerged in 2018, the music world was taken by surprise and captivated by her unique fusion of voice, cello, and percussion. Her debut album “Ahlam” received widespread acclaim, bringing the Mediterranean region to life through her enchanting melodies. In her latest album, simply titled “Nesrine,” she continues to showcase her personal and musical journey, seamlessly blending her North African roots with her European present. With a powerful voice and masterful cello playing Nesrine’s music transcends borders, effortlessly combining north African roots, pop, and jazz influences into a captivating and constantly shifting blend. Collaborating with producer/guitarist Vincent Huma and sound engineer Fab Dupont, Nesrine creates a complex musical world that retains the simplicity and warmth of her debut while introducing new influences. Her artistry is a reflection of her generation, where origins and stylistic boundaries define themselves through interaction, resulting in a captivating and authentic fusion of cultures that flows naturally.
 
Tarek Yamani & Yacine Boulares Quartet
Lebanese pianist Tarek Yamani and French-Tunisian saxophonist Yacine Boulares come together in a new project that celebrates their mutual heritages. From Lebanese Dabke to the Tunisian traditions of Stambeli and Mezwed, the two musicians bring Arabic trance rhythms and the harmonic and melodic flexibility of Jazz together. For Habibi Festival they will premiere a brand new repertoire.
 
Yamani and Boulares are among a handful of Arabic musicians who have devoted their life to Jazz Music. Tarek Yamani lives between New York and Berlin and has been hailed a “trailblazing pianist” by CNN. Winner of the prestigious “Thelonious Monk Int’l Jazz Composers Competition” for his composition “Sama’i Yamani”, Tarek has been part of 4 all-star global concerts of the International Jazz Day and shared the stage with luminaries such as Wayne Shorter, Richard Bona, Zakir Hussein, Esperanza Spalding, Antonio Sanchez, Brian Blade and, Vinnie Colaiuta.
 
Described by RFI as “one of the most talented Jazzmen of his generation” Yacine Boulares has recently accompanied Archie Shepp for the re-creation of “The Cry of my people” at BAM and has worked with the likes of Placido Domingo, Nasheet Waits, Vincent Segal, and Tabou Combo.
 
Clarissa Bitar
Clarissa Bitar is an award-winning Palestinian oud musician and composer born, raised, and based in Los Angeles, California. Clarissa has had the privilege of performing around the country and internationally. They graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a degree in Music and an emphasis in Ethnomusicology. To further their studies, Clarissa studied with prominent Arab musicians including Simon Shaheen, Charbel Rouhana, and Bassam Saba. They have incorporated oud with a multitude of genres ranging from R&B to Pop to Hip Hop and Rap. Their latest album titled ‘Hassan Sabi’ is out now on all streaming platforms.
 
Their music has been featured on Netflix, radio, film, and exhibits around the world. They released a joint poetry-oud EP with Palestinian poet Mohammed El-Kurd in January of 2019 titled Bellydancing on Wounds as well as a solo EP Bayati.
 
Omar Offendum
Omar Offendum is a Syrian-American rapper / spoken-word artist. He is a Kennedy Center Citizen Artist Fellow, an Arab America Foundation “40 Under 40" award recipient, and a member of the Pillars Fund cohort for Muslim Narrative Change and the RaceForward Butterfly Lab cohort for Immigrant Narrative Strategy. He currently resides in New York, while daydreaming of the jasmine-scented streets of Damascus. Omar is currently part of the New York Voices Commission program at Joe's Pub. 

JOE’S PUB, a program of The Public Theater, was named for Public Theater founder Joseph Papp. Since it opened in 1998, Joe’s Pub has played a vital role in The Public's mission of supporting artists at all stages of their careers with an intimate space to perform and develop new work. Joe's Pub presents the best in live music and performance nightly, continuing its commitment to diversity, production values, community, and artistic freedom. In addition to one-night-only concerts and multi-night engagements, Joe’s Pub is home to the annual Habibi Festival, which hosts artists representing contemporary and traditional music of the SWANA (Southwest Asia/North Africa) region, and The Vanguard Award & Residency, a yearlong curation series that celebrates the career, and community, of a prolific and influential artist. The current recipient of the Vanguard Award & Residency is Angélique Kidjo. Previous honorees are Nona Hendryx, Judy Collins, Laurie Anderson, and the late Barbara Maier Gustern. With its intimate atmosphere and superior acoustics, Joe's Pub presents over 700 shows featuring artists based in New York City and touring performers from all over the world, and hosts over 100,000 audience members annually. Beyond public performances, Joe’s Pub also leads artist development programs like New York Voices, a commissioning program that helps musicians develop new performance projects, and Joe’s Pub Working Group, an artist-led development and collaboration cohort. The current New York Voices commissioned artists are Dan Fishback, Omar Offendum, and Sarah Elizabeth Charles. The current Joe’s Pub Working Group Cohort includes Ellen Winter, Esraa Warda,  Firas Zreik, and Queen Esther.
 

About Habibi Festival

Created with the goal of giving a snapshot of contemporary and traditional musics of the South West Asia North Africa (SWANA) region, Habibi Festival aims to take listeners on a journey of the sounds wafting through the airwaves and living rooms of cities spanning Marrakech to Baghdad. This new performing arts festival is a collaboration between the Director of Joe's Pub at The Public Theater 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. Learn more at www.habibi-festival.com.
 

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