press kit
Seffarine: Forging a Fresh Flamenco & Moroccan-Inspired Sound of the Mediterranean
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about seffarine
At a momentous first meeting at a coffee shop in Fez, Moroccan vocalist Lamiae Naki and multi-instrumentalist Nat Hulskamp composed their first song and decided to get married. Brought together by their deep knowledge of the music of both sides of the Straits of Gibraltar — Spanish flamenco and Moroccan Arabic music — they created Seffarine.
Seffarine takes its name from the ancient metalworking square in Fez, which is famous for the complex rhythms that ring out from the blacksmiths' hammers, and where Lamiae's family is well known as masters of the tradition. Seffarine's music embraces and extends Morocco's musical collision between Arabic, Iberian and West African cultures, forging vibrant original music deeply rooted in their backgrounds in flamenco guitar, oud and Arab Andalusian music. Nat and Lamiae built an international quintet bringing in all star musicians from Iran, the US and Spain, who infuse the sound with textured instrumentation and inspired improvisation. Sweeping kamancheh (Persian spike-fiddle) ornamentation plays off gritty bass grooves and explosive flamenco footwork, with Lamiae's fluidly riveting voice at the center, sending up sheets of cascading Andalusi melodies punctuated by the catchy hooks of North African Chaabi, sung in her native Moroccan Arabic. Their sound has taken them around the world, from touring Indonesia and Europe to receiving grants to study Ottoman singing in Turkey, to recording with top flamenco musicians in Spain such as Diego del Morao and Latin Grammy Award winner Antonio Rey.
recent press
"Seffarine's music can melt the coldest of hearts"
"gorgeous intersection of Spanish flamenco, Arabic and Andalusian music, Persian classical, and jazz"
"Un placer para los oídos"
"A Treat for the Ears"
— Javier Mantecón, Afribuku (Spain) —
"this enchanting album deserves international attention."
— Brett Campbell, Oregon ArtsWatch —
"an ear-caressing blend of sounds from Spain and north Africa, spiced with a bit of fiery instrumentation and percussion."
— Scott Stevens, SoundRoots —
"a skilled blending of musical alloys"
— Willamette Week —
"La dulce voz de Lamiae refleja el sentimiento más puro de la melodía (Lamiae's sweet voice reflects the purest feeling of the melody)"
— La Voz del Sur (Spain) —
recent recognition
2017-2019 WAA Launchpad Artist
Recipients of grants from the Regional Arts and Culture Council and Oregon Arts Commission
Top 20 World Music Releases, Transglobal World Music Charts
Best 13 African CDs of 2015, Afribuku
Top 10 World Music Albums, SoundRoots
#10 on Global Village top 40, Global Village
music
photos
shows
past performances include:
2022
Mar 29 Sala Juglar Lavapíes - Madrid, Spain
Apr 16 Concerts in the Park Series - Las Vegas, NV
May 21 Official showcase - Folk Alliance International - Kansas City, MO
Jul 4 MAPAS - Canary Islands, Spain
Aug 4 Concerts in the Park Series - Portland, OR
Sep 16 Guest Artists in Antonio Rey concerts - Salem, OR
Sep 17 Guest Artists in Antonio Rey concerts - Salem, OR
Sep 23 Lotus Fest - Bloomington, IN
Oct 1 Civic Center Place - Holland, MI
Oct 4 Chicago Word Music Fest - Chicago, IL
Nov 10 Tehama Concert Association - Red Bluff, CA
2023
Feb 2 Myrna Loy Center for the Arts - Helena, MT
Feb 3 Whitefish Theater Co - Whitefish, MT
Feb 5 2 Valleys Stage - Seeley Lake, MT
Feb 6 Outreach - Seeley Lake, MT
Feb 7 Outreach - Seeley Lake, MT
Mar 10 ASU Kerr Cultural Center - Scottsdale, AZ
Mar 11 Green Valley PAC - Green Valley, AZ
Apr 15 Woodstock Arts Festival - Woodstock, GA
Apr 21 The Patricia Reser Center for the Arts - Beaverton, OR
May 11 The LEAF Global Arts - Asheville, NC
May 19 Fremont Abbey - Seattle, WA
Jul 19 Jazz Station - Eugene, OR
Aug 3 Concerts in the Park - Kent, WA
Aug 4 New Traditions - Olympia, WA
Aug 12 Sunset Concert - Sauvie Island, OR
Nov 5 Alberta Rose Theatre - Portland, OR
Nov 11 Koerner Hall - Toronto, ON
2024
Mar 3 Women's Day Concert w Aurora Chorus - Portland, OR
Mar 8 Charleston Heights PAC, City Concert Series - Las Vegas, NV
May 10 Chehalem Community Center - Newberg, OR
Sala Juglar | Madrid, Spain
Broadway Performance Hall | Seattle, WA
Columbia City Theater | Seattle, WA
Western Washington University | Bellingham, WA
Sprague Theater | Bandon, OR
Ruang Putih | Bandung, Indonesia
The Straw Hut | Bali, Indonesia
Serendipity | Jakarta, Indonesia
Alberta Rose Theatre | Portland, OR
Oregon Shakespeare Fest | Ashland, OR
University of Puget Sound | Tacoma, WA
Holocene | Portland, OR
SXSW Representing Seruni Audio Microphones | Austin, TX
Royal Room | Seattle, WA
Secret Society | Portland, OR
Ashkenaz | Berkeley, CA
Walters Cultural Arts Center - Hillsboro, OR
University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
World Concert - Lake Tahoe, CA
El Camino College Center for the Arts - Torrance, CAWest Charleston/Clark County Libraries - Las Vegas, NV
Starring Artists Concert Series - Carlsbad, CA
residencies/community outreach
All of our members are educators as well. Please inquire about residencies, workshops and masterclasses offered in Arabic, Persian, jazz, flamenco music and dance.
For more information and videos about our outreach programs, visit our outreach page below.
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