Zaid Hilal and the Bristol European Jazz Ensemble

Event information

‘The song bird of Palestine’ Zaid Hilal sings of creative resistance to repeated colonisation in a wonderful array of carefully-researched songs and music that express the deep roots of
Palestinian identity.

“The renewed cycle of oppression of Palestinians made me resort to the folklore and sounds that address our history” (Zaid Hilal Mirath:music - Goethe-Institute)

Reviews of 2024 UK tour
"East meets West cosmic jazz fusion collaboration from the ever-reliable British European Jazz
Ensemble (BEJE), featuring masterful bağlama and vocals from Zaid Hilal. Palestinian folk
/modal jazz of the highest order” (Headfirst)
“What a onderful and very moving night at Curzon Cinema Clevedon” Bristol Coalition For
Palestine.
"Zaid Hilal and BEJE were very well received. It takes a lot to get us dancing in the aisles, and
Zaid showed that he has what it takes! His heartfelt songs, some traditional, and some more
recent, gave us a powerful insight into the culture and history of the troubled land of
Palestine." Matt Geen Curry Rivel Old School Room.
“What an amazing show. Thank you” The Jam Jar, Bristol’s premier world music venue.
“A golden voice and a great baglama player” Simon Leach music therapist

“Zaid is amazing. Book him!” Kris Justice, Jerusalem tour guide.
“Fantastic and moving set” Chris Hope, acclaimed Composer (Box Of Tricks Theatre)
Zaid Hilal is an eloquent and compelling Palestinian singer and master of the ear-catching
bağlama. From Beit Sahour, he trained from age 10 with the Edward Said Music Conservatoire in Bethlehem, has a BA in Arabic singing, produces and records albums, tours nationally and internationally.

With over a million views of his youtube videos he packs venues in the Occupied West Bank
with his gentle powerful and hopeful musical message, with BEJE’s
rocking-jazz take on the rich tradition of Palestine. BEJE is a Bristol-based world-jazz ensemble specialising in international collaborations.

The Zaid-BEJE link goes back to 2018 when the Arts and British Councils funded-
show ‘Longing Belonging and Balfour’ came to Palestine and Israel, and the musicians all met up in the Beit Musika in Beit Sahour for a jam. A joint UK tour followed in 2019. Despite a
pandemic-thwarted Edinburgh Fringe cancellation there was a triumphant UK tour with BEJE in 2024.

Musicians:
Zaid Hilal vocals/baglama,
Raji Majed Ghareeb (also Palestinian) keyboards,
David Mowat, trumpet,
Fabio Ferri bass
Paolo Adamo drums,
Chas Whittaker Arabic percussion

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