An improvised live album recorded on one magical Friday night at Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth where healing and restoration live.

The Shadow Band is an Arabic Free Groove quartet that formed in the wake of the Gaza genocide to perform at various events and fundraisers with live compositions. They are fueled by the spirit of improvisation as an ode to liberation and resistance. The group draws from Arabic taksim, Arab futurism, dub, and free jazz, and blends these with grooves inspired by a number of traditions around the world. This record was improvised in one evening in Oakland, California in a studio space designed for healing and restoration.

PERSONNEL: Naima Shalhoub: keyboards, voice; Tarik “Excentrik” Kazaleh: guitar, oud, buzuk; Chris Trinidad: bass guitar, synth bass; Aaron Kierbel: drum set, percussion

GENRES: Arabic Taksim, Free Improvised Groove, Arab-Futurism, Dub

INFLUENCES: Ziad Rahbani, King Tubby, Augustus Pablo, Munir Bashir, Marcel Khalifeh, Pink Floyd

RELEASE YEAR: 2025

ALBUM CODE: IRK 2025 02