Maktoub

Maktoub is an original instrumental project composed and led by internationally recognized oud virtuoso Ahmed Maher.

Rooted in Arabic maqam and in conversation with jazz form, the music unfolds through a balance of composed structures and live improvisation. Written material offers a frame, while improvisation opens space for risk, presence, and collective authorship to reshape the music in real time.

The title maktoub, meaning “written” or “destined” in Arabic, names a central paradox of the work: what feels predetermined is continuously rewritten through encounter. Borders, whether musical or cultural, are treated not as fixed lines but as permeable spaces where new identities and shared experiences can emerge.

Recorded between Cairo and Vancouver, Maktoub draws from Maher’s lived experience of movement, displacement, and belonging. The music reflects an ongoing inner process, where memory and immediacy coexist, and where the idea of “home” remains fluid and evolving.

This performance offers a rare pre-release glimpse of the project ahead of the album launch in June 2026, presented in an intimate setting that foregrounds listening, interaction, and the energy of live creation.

Featuring:
Ahmed Maher | Oud
Geoff Claridge | Bass Clarinet
Conrad Good | Double Bass
Atin Cheraghchi | Percussion