Hijaz in concert : Jazz with fusion with a Middle East twist

Hijaz are a Belgium-based seven-piece jazz fusion group with a warm melodic and distinctly cosmopolitan sound.  They have been carving out a name for themselves on the continent since the launch of their first album three years ago, and this is the first chance for UK audiences to catch the group in concert here. Their original sound, built around the ‘oud and the piano, is a heady mix of musical influences drawn from the Maghreb, the Middle East and Europe. It reflects the origins of the group itself – comprising musicians from Tunisia, Morocco, Armenia and around Europe.  Hijaz will feature tracks from their excellent new album Chemsi, which follows up the success of their first (2008) album, Dunes.  One critic has described the feel of Chemsi as “tender and spicy, ethereal and profound”. Saturday 28 May 2011 | 19:00 Union Chapel Compton Terrace Islington London N1 2UN