(headline image: Kamilya Jubran – Photo by Juri Hiensch)
Kamilya Jubran was born in 1962 in Acre (Akka) to Palestinian parents. Her father, Elias, taught music and built traditional instruments, most notably the oud. A brother, Khaled, chose the same road. Their family story later appeared in the 2007 documentary Telling Strings.
In 1981, she moved to Jerusalem to study social work at the Hebrew University. There, she soon met composer Said Murad and joined the ensemble Sabreen in 1982, becoming the only member born inside Israel. For two decades, she fronted the group from occupied East Jerusalem.
The Sabreen years revealed a rare command of maqam and language. Jubran shaped melodies with microtonal bends.
In 2002 when she relocated to Europe. Solo work and collaborations followed, notably with Swiss musician Werner Hasler. Their projects fetaured sparse electronics, vocals and there was also room for the oud and qanun.
A guest appearance on Calle 13’s 2013 single “Multi_Viral,” alongside Tom Morello and Julian Assange, widened her audience.
In 2014, she launched Zamkana, a nonprofit platform supporting original artistic work and freedom of expression. She also founded Sodassi Projects, a residency offering composition masterclasses to young Arab artists.
Discography
with Sabreen
Dukhan al-Barakin (1984)
Mawt al-Nabi (1988)
Jayy al-Hamam (1994)
Ala Fein (2000)
Solo
Wameedd (2006)
Wanabni (2010)
Makan (2009)
Nhaoul’ (2013)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.