Permanent Members
The Syrian Jazz Orchestra has a selection of fixed top-notch Syrian musicians including: Nareg Abajian (Conductor and pianist); Nizar Omran, Rani Elias, Doulama Shehab and Majd Shhayed (trumpets); Emad Mansour, Vladimir Kzanof, Samer Jabr and Ihab Ktaish (trombones); Khaled Kassem, Ourwa Saleh, Nader Issa and Bassel Rajjoub (saxophones); Cherbel Asfahan (tuba), Hannibal Saad (artistic director and guitar); Khaled Omran (bass); Dani Shoukri (percussion).
Guest Soloists in Syria
Visiting soloists have included:
Muslem Rahal and Mouhamed Fetyan (nai); Kinan Azmeh (clarinet); Feras Shahrestan and Tawfeek Mirkhan (qanoun); Kinan Ednawi and Adnan Fathalla (oud); Feras Hassan, Simone Mreish and Jamal Al Sakka (percussion); Tarek Faham, Joost Kesselaar (Netherlands), Howard Franklin (USA) and Hakon Johansen (Norway) (Drums); Vartan Pambouccian (duduk); Alte Nymo (Norway), Lyle Link (USA), Daniel Blanc (Switzerland) and Armin Hyusnunts (Armenia) (saxophone); Helge Sunde (Norway) (trombone); Gerard klign (Netherlands), Mathies Eick (Norway) (trumpet); Andre Muller (Switzerland) (baritone sax); Francis Coletta (Switzerland) (guitar); Georgios Antonio (Greece/Switzerland), Riza Askari (Iran/Germany) (contrabass); Oliver Friedli (Switzerland), Frank Carlberg (Finland/ USA), Bruno Paoli (France) (piano); Aburba Mukherjee (India) (Indian tablah); and many other participants of the Jazz Lives in Syria Festival organized by the Swiss Embassy from 2005 to 2007 and with Syria Trust in 2008 and 2009.
Vocalists in Syria
Rasha Rizk, Lena Chamamian, Shadi Ali, Omar Sarmini, Diab El Sukari, Ribal Al Khudari, Sonia Bitar, Linda Bitar, Houry Apartian, Nour Ereksousi, Bayan Rida, Ayham Abou Ammar, Khaled Omran, Indrani Mukherjee (India).
Composers and Conductors
Reputed composers and conductors have worked with the Syrian Jazz Orchestra in Syria and abroad:
- Nareg Abadjian (Syria)
- Amadis Dunkel (Switzerland)
- Frank Carlberg (Finland/USA)
- Yuri Nickolas (USA)
- Allyn Jonson (USA)
- Dave Montreuil (Canada/switzerland)
- Henk Meutgeert (Netherlands)
Classic Jazz Big Band arrangers and composers covered by SJO:
- Jan Hessels.
- Rob McConnell.
- Ernie Wilknis.
- Herbol Zheimer.
- Dave Barduhn.
- Frank Foster.
- Michael Philip Mossman.
- Calvin Jones.
- Allen Johnson.
- Thad Jones.
- Mel Lewis.
- Sammy Nestico.
Soloists abroad
During its participation in music festivals and events outside Syria, the Syrian Jazz Orchestra hosted numerous established Arabic and foreign soloists such as: Salar Aghili (Iran), Christophe Lauer (Germany), Clause Shtutter (Germany), Salman Gambarov (Azerbaijan), Joachim Dockler (Germany), Alim Qasimov (Azerbaijan), Ibrahim Kevo (Syria) and many others.
