Hijaz was formed in 2004, and sprung from the collaboration between Tunisian master oud player Moufadhel Adhoum and Greek-Belgian pianist Niko Deman.
Hijaz is a marriage of the piano, this great instrument from the Western musical tradition, with the stringed instrument that has become synonymous with the Middle East, the oud. When imagining the oud outside the Arab world, one immediately thinks of the two contemporary masters of the instrument: the jazzy and poetic Anouar Brahem and the virtuoso, avant-gardistic Rabih Abou-Khalil. Tunisian oud player Moufadhel Adhoum manages to bring the virtuosity of  Khalil and the subtle poetry of Brahem together in a highly individual and contemporary interpretation.
Pianist Niko Deman first played rebetiko on the bouzouki, influenced by his Greek mother.  But his interest in jazz kept growing, so he went to study at the Antwerp Conservatory. With this ample background, he skillfully evokes the crossroads between these genres and traditions.
The dialogue between the oud and the piano is masterfully supported by the light and fluid playing of Moroccan percussionist Azzedine Jazouli and Belgian drummer Chryster Aerts. Bass player Rui Salgado provides a rock solid foundation. Together they form an adventurous and imaginative rhythm section, citing rhythms from the traditions of Morocco to India, on top of which the oud and piano weave their sonic tapestry. The music virtually transports you to a quiet patio in a Mediterranean city, at a stone's throw of the busy Medina.
Their debut CD Dunes was widely acclaimed by the audience and the press. On some of the tracks, the quintet was supported by Armenian duduk player Vardan Hovanissian, who has since then become the indispensable sixth member of the group.

Moufadhel Adhoum – oud, Niko Deman - piano
Chryster Aerts – percussive, Rui Salgado – contrabass

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