Nawa Ensemble is a group of Chicago based musicians who focus on studying and performing maqam music. From the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara to the Arabian Gulf and the banks of the Euphrates, Greece and parts of Eastern Europe; musicians in these regions have adapted the maqam system to fit with their own regional and traditional musical criterion and taste. The group tracks these musical traditions and focuses on performing the music of these regions while bringing up the work to its highest artistic potential. Members of the group are Omar al-Musfi (percussion) , Issa Boulos ('Ud), Jim Stoynoff (Clarinet), Wanees Zarour (Violin, Buzuq), Kinan Abou Afach (Cello), Naeif Rafeh (Nay), Ozgur Sumer (Baglama), Weldon Anderson (Bass), Walid al-Hajali (Accordion), Javier Saumai (Percussion), Masoud Kamgarpour (Santour), Habibullah Wardak (Rubab), Rami Youssef (violin).

Click on the following links to listen to some of the piece by Nawa Ensemble .

Longa Shahinaz,

Longa Sultani Yakah,

Sama'I'Kurdilli_Hijaz_Kar by Tatyus,