Tamsin Elliott & Tarek Elazhary - El Hara

The lead single from Tamsin Elliott & Tarek Elazhary's debut album 'So Far We Have Come', El Hara opens with a striking Oud melody and swells to full expression as Tamsin joins on accordion, followed by her brother and producer Rowan Elliott on viola. “El Hara refers to a tiny alleyway bustling with life in the old part of Cairo”, Tarek remarks, “and this is a really Egyptian-feeling piece.” Tamsin’s characteristically sensitive solo is all the more compelling for the shock of hearing microtonality on accordion; the instrument was specially adapted for her by Nick Hart, and while quarter-tone accordions are used in larger Arabic orchestras, it’s rare to hear one outside of that context.

Tarek Elazhary - oud
Tamsin Elliott - quartertone accordion
Rowan Elliott - viola
Ricardo de Noronha - percussion

Beautiful video by Kate Griffin
Produced by Rowan Elliott
Mastered by Sam Proctor at Lismore Mastering
Tamsin's accordion was tuned by Nick Hart

www.tamsinelliott.co.uk

This work has been made possible by the generous support of Help Musicians, EFDSS and Culture Resource المورد الثقافي