Faris Ishaq: live in London at OSLO Hackney

Palestinian Nay master, percussionist, and composer Faris Ishaq charts unexplored territories with the Nay, an ancient Middle Eastern flute dating back to 5000 B.C. Rooted in his Palestinian heritage, Faris celebrates its cultural legacy in today’s modern musical landscape.

For this one-off performance in London, Bethlehem-born Faris presents Jasad. Arabic for Body, the project draws from the breath-centred essence of the Nay, one of the oldest flutes still in use, with deep Palestinian and Middle Eastern roots (ca. 5000 B.C.). Made of reed cane, without a mouthpiece or mechanics, the Nay responds solely to the player’s breath and intention, becoming an extension of the human body and a mirror to its soul.

In a distinctive setup, he simultaneously performs the Nay alongside a leg-mounted frame drum and foot percussion. Faris fuses Palestinian Tashbib—a percussive, improvisational Nay style—with the rhythmic footwork of Palestinian Dabke dance. Having danced Dabke professionally, he translates its patterns onto the leg-mounted frame drum, shaping Jasad into an embodied expression of Palestinian breath and culture.