“Sababa” opens with Nawras Altaky on oud, the fretless short-necked lute central to Arab music, before the ensemble starts to fill out around him. This live version was recorded at Het Concertgebouw in Amsterdam during Currents – Van Damascus tot de Dam, a programme built around Syrian vocalists and musicians performing songs and new compositions connected to Syrian musical tradition. Altaky sings in Arabic, backed on this occasion by the ÁMÀL Ensemble: Háshem Kabreet on percussion and handpan, Kinan Abuakel on buzuk, Qusai Naim on cello, Anna Zavorina on double bass, Kitano Hernandez Solano on piano, and Romain Gachot on trumpet, with Modar Salama as special guest on percussion.  The piece stays quiet and closely played, building its shape through the movement between oud, voice and ensemble. “Sababa” is the first single from Altaky’s debut album ARISE! A Journey of Resilience, released by AudioMaze.

Born in Syria and now based in Utrecht, Altaky was appointed Utrecht’s composer laureate for 2025. He writes, sings and plays oud in music that brings Arabic maqam into contact with jazz and contemporary composition. “Sababa” is framed as a song for survivors and dreamers, for people who keep making something in the middle of chaos, and that idea sits close to Altaky’s own journey from Syria to the Netherlands. Some of the same musicians appear in Altaky’s wider work.

Stream “Sababa” HERE