“Elliott's beguiling accordion and Elazhary's masterful oud alluringly conjure Egyptian landscapes through a swirling conversation” - Songlines
Exploring the parallels and celebrating the idiosyncrasies of both Egyptian and English folk traditions, Tamsin Elliott and Tarek Elazhary aim to find commonality, foster cross-cultural connection and help to heal the scars of a colonial past through meaningful and conscious collaboration. A dialogue born of mutual respect and friendship enables instruments from disparate traditions – lever harp, accordion and whistles, and the Arabic oud – to speak with the same voice, the voice of a future-facing new generation wishing to build something new and authentic together.
Their friendship and resulting debut duo album So Far We Have Come is a testament to the unifying power of music, and won them a place in The Guardian’s Top Ten Folk Albums of 2023, as well as a nomination for Best Group at the Songlines Music Awards. The album has captured the attention of critics and audiences alike, praised for its innovative blend of quartertone accordion, lever harp, and oud. Hailed by The Observer as “a poised, atmospheric fusion delivered by two master players”, their music transcends borders, inviting listeners on a mesmerising journey through landscapes both familiar and foreign.
"So Far Have We Come is nothing short of life-affirming" - TradFolk
Tamsin and Tarek have recently recorded their much anticipated second album, due for release in 2027. Building on the foundations of their debut, which introduced their musical backgrounds and collaborative relationship, this new work marks a clearer articulation of their identity as a duo. The album was written and arranged in collaboration with producer Rowan Elliott, who contributes violin, viola and percussion to the core sound.
Recorded with a quartertone-capable string quartet (scored by Rowan), the album moves fluidly between Tarek’s Maqam traditions and Western equal-tempered scales. Shifting between sparse duo textures and the fuller resonance of the ensemble, the listener is guided on a broad journey, from the emergence of spring buds to the intensity of a Cairo heatwave, to the dark brooding of the winter sea and an experimental piece developed from climate data.
Inspired by themes of nature, humanity and climate change, the forthcoming record is a love letter to the world: equal parts a processing of climate grief and fear, and a celebration of all that is good in the world.
“Their musical connection feels affectingly deep” - The Guardian
Tamsin Elliott is a multi-instrumentalist and composer with roots in the traditional dance tunes of the British Isles. Her interests and playing styles extend to European and Middle Eastern musics as well as experimental and ambient sounds. Her compositions are grounded in tradition, whilst pushing boundaries and exploring minimalist, neo-classical, sound art and other non-traditional formats.
Her debut solo album FREY (2022) established her as a rising star on the folk scene, with The Guardian praising her “beautiful, filmic compositions for accordion, harp, whistle and voice”. In this work Tamsin explores themes of limbo, pain, healing and acceptance, reflecting on the microcosm of her personal experience of chronic illness alongside wider themes of societal disconnection and environmental grief. Her new collection The Meeting Tree (2025) celebrates connection, nature and the joy of sharing tunes with friends.
A versatile composer-performer, Tamsin also contributes to chamber-folk quintet Hedera and festival-favourite Mediterranean fusion band Solana. As a Musician in Residence at UHBW NHS Trust, she channels her musical passion into healing and connection, writing new music on lever harp and playing for patients on wards including the ICU.
Tarek Elazhary is an Egyptian oud player, composer, educator, and musical director based in London, whose work expands the oud into a contemporary cross-cultural voice.
A graduate of Cairo’s renowned Arabic Oud House, he studied under legendary Iraqi master Naseer Shamma, later joining the institution as a teacher from 2014. Over more than a decade, Tarek has built a dual career as both performer and educator, shaping musicians at institutions including the Al Darb Al Ahmar Arts School (supported by the Aga Khan Music Programme) and the German University in Cairo.
His artistic language is rooted in Arabic musical tradition, yet constantly evolving through collaboration, experimentation, and intercultural dialogue. His performances reimagine the oud as a living, global instrument — capable of intimacy, rhythm, and cinematic scale.
Tarek has performed internationally at major venues and festivals including WOMAD, Royal Albert Hall, and Cairo Opera House, with appearances across Egypt, the UK, the US, Saudi Arabia, France and Italy.