El Khat. Saadia Jefferson - س​ع​د​ي​ا​ ​ ​ج​ي​ف​ي​ر​س​و​ن .

El Khat are a four piece from Tel Aviv, all with different backgrounds – Iraq, Poland, Morocco and Yemen. In reference to the addictive leaf that has been chewed socially in Yemen and the Arabic peninsula for over 600 years, the band’s choice of name can be interpreted in various ways. Yemen’s situation in 2019 is dire – in the grips of war, famine and with little sign of change from these extremeties – yet the Khat leaf provides a feeling that promotes community and relaxation, a safe and welcoming connotation

“Brilliant”
Gilles Peterson

“Joyously mixing authentically Arabic musical tropes with ethnomusicological forgeries” Uncut 8/10

“This sounds like a Middle Eastern Manu Chao...one of the most original albums of the year in any genre”
Songlines ★★★★

“The sound is a glorious, ecstatic clatter”
Financial Times ★★★★

"Yemeni band El Khat deconstruct traditional folk songs into a gritty, guitar-fuelled collection of incisive statements"
The Guardian

“This is crazy music indeed, but crazy with a kind of wayward vitality, a sound universe all of its own...full of strange and wonderful beauty”
The Arts Desk ★★★★

“A ramshackle interrogation of Yemeni funk and pop sources filtered through invented and junk-made instruments, and played by a poly-glot group with roots in Iraq, Poland and Morocco”
Wire Magazine

“This is crazy music indeed, but crazy with a kind of wayward...  more