Press kit, Stephen Elaimy · Press kit, official use
House of Tarab, Arabic Music Ensemble, is based in Seattle and performs classic & traditional music of the Golden Era of Egyptian music and film, music of the Levant (Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine), and the greater Middle East. “Tarab” is an Arabic word not found in the English language that describes a state of emotional transformation and bliss when one is wholly absorbed in music. House of Tarab (A.K.A. H.O.T.) was formed in 2005 though some of the band members have been playing together since 1999. House of Tarab has played at numerous cultural events, music festivals, parties, belly dance cabarets, belly dance retreats and competitions. We are looking forward to performing live shows again when the pandemic is over and sharing the wonderful music of greats like Oum Kalthoum, Farid El Atrash, Muhammed Abdel Wahab, Abdel Halim Hafez, folk music, and others as well as original compositions! Jane Hall has been entertaining audiences since age 10. At first as a folk singer with a guitar, she then picked up the hand drums during high school. In the mid-90’s, she met Stephen Elaimy and David McGrath and began the journey of a lifetime in Arabic music. Through several trips to Middle Eastern Music and Dance Camp in Mendocino, California, and after many master classes through the years, she became the percussionist for House Of Tarab, a Middle Eastern music group whose focus is the Golden Age of Arabic music from the 1930-1970s. Jane’s main instrument, the Riqq (Arabic tambourine), is considered the conductor of the ensemble. She also plays tabla or darabuka, a goblet-shaped hand drum and a tabl’ beledi, which is a large bass drum played with two differently-sized sticks.
