I performed last night with Layale Chaker & Sarafand to release our new album, 'Inner Rhyme' at the Stone. The heating was out so we wore scarves, but the music warmed up the place pretty quick. I love playing with these guys! Layale Chaker (violin, composition) Jake Charkey (cello) Phillip Golub (piano) Nick Dunston (bass) Adam Maalouf (percussion) "Layale Chaker's Inner Rhyme is a distinguished addition to the catalogue of In a Circle Records, the imprint founded in 2008

I'm so happy to announce the upcoming release of Inner Rhyme, the debut album of Sarafand, our band led by my extremely talented friend Layale Chaker on Jan. 22 at the Stone in New York. This album celebrates Arabic poetry, unveiling musical threads woven by the rhythmical cycles of the twelve classical Arabic poetic meters, the physical contour of verse, and the percussive potential of words. Layale’s composition process aims to capture the shape and essence of epic testimo