Camille El Bacha; Naghib Shanbehzadeh - Loop Tales

Information

1. Loop Tale
2. Tokyo Train
3. 8 Pearls
4. Haft
5. Interlude
6. Prelude in C
7. 04:04 am
8. Deep Sub Bass
9. Ave Maria
10. Requiem
11. Exit

Camille El Bacha, piano

Naghib Shanbehzadeh, zarb, dohola, kouzeh, daf & bendir

Date: 2026

Label: Fuga Libera

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With Loop Tales, pianist Camille El Bacha and percussionist Naghib Shanbehzadeh masterfully bridge Western classical heritage with Middle Eastern rhythmic traditions. The album establishes an immersive counterpoint where classical piano—evoking icons from Bach to Steve Reich—intersects with vibrant Persian percussion. Built on the concept of repetition as a living medium, each piece unfolds through evolving, looping cycles and subtle variations. This deeply collaborative project unites El Bacha’s contemporary classical style with Shanbehzadeh’s Southern Iranian roots, ultimately creating a resonant, intimate sonic space where distinct musical cultures meet, converse, and reinvent themselves.

Concert pianist, improviser, and composer Camille El Bacha developed his distinctive musical language in Jean-François Zygel’s improvisation class at the Paris Conservatoire, graduating with a master’s degree alongside prizes in harmony and analysis. He has performed at prestigious European events, including the Chopin Festival in Paris and the Le Monde Festival. Highly sought after as a cinema pianist and film composer, El Bacha has collaborated with major networks like Arte and France Télévision. His versatile musicianship seamlessly integrates rigorous classical training with French song, world music, and electronic music, as showcased in his project Leone Jadis.

Born in 1993 in Bushehr, Iran, percussionist Naghib Shanbehzadeh began playing music at age three alongside his father, Saeid. He quickly mastered diverse traditional and Southern Iranian percussion instruments, including the dammam, doholgap, pipe, kesser, timpo, and zarb. A permanent member of the Ensemble Shanbehzadeh since age ten, he has collaborated with global jazz and world music legends such as Billy Cobham and Trilok Gurtu. Also a highly skilled jazz and gospel drummer, Shanbehzadeh is celebrated for bringing immense energy, exceptional dynamics, and a deeply collaborative spirit to every live performance.

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