By Jose Luis Benavides on June 24, 2011

Combining Arabic tambourine’s, the riq, congas and timbales in one singularly transcendent sound, at times Turkish, Pakistani, and sometimes Latin American the medley of Middle Easter music on Shusmo surely stands as the New York base bands name’s translation suggests, a true “whatchamacallit” of sounds. This hodgepodge of Greek, Pakistani, Peruvian, and U.S. American musicians has combined the very best of their abilities to form a collective that is unmatched in scope and talent. Harmony takes over chords, Arabic melody challenges Western notions of musicality.

An established funk and Arabic Maquam band, at times offer James Brown and then Palestinian wedding banter. Tracks like “Dal’Ona” mix worlds. Clarinets and graveled buzuq rock, blues and Latin percussion collide. Abboushi and Shusmo translates their passion for the precarious politics and circumstance of Palestine, through tracks like “The Wall,” imploring rage and concern for the current state of affairs, whereby communities and landscapes are divided.

Old Town School of Folk Music on Wednesday, June 29 at 8:30pm
4544 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago | Cost: Suggestion donation of $5

Music Workshop at Old Town School of Folk Music on Thursday, June 30 at 6:00pm
4544 N Lincoln Avenue, Chicago | Cost: $20

Katerina’s | Thursday, June 30 at 9:00pm
1920 W. Irving Park Rd, Chicago Cost: $10

Old Town School of Folk Music on Friday, July 1 at  11:45am
4544 North Lincoln Avenue, Chicago | Cost: $5 for Chaperones, NO CHARGE for Kids,

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