Nazih Abu Rish / Nazih Borish

Role and context

Syrian oud player and composer, known internationally as Nazih Borish, who expands the Arabic oud through flamenco, jazz, blues, and Indian music influences.

In this era, Nazih Abu Rish / Borish represents a Syrian-global oud line: Arabic maqam, taqasim, improvisation, and forms open to flamenco, jazz, blues, and Indian music.

This profile is linked to The Age of Digital Platforms and Cross-Border Identity within the Arabic music history timeline.

Biography and life

Nazih Abu Rish, often appearing internationally as Nazih Borish, is a Syrian oud player and composer born in Latakia in 1982. Published materials about him describe an early self-taught relationship with the oud and a strong attraction to different musical cultures, including flamenco, jazz, blues, and Indian music. This explains the nature of his musical language: Arabic oud at its core, but with a cross-stylistic awareness in which maqam spirit and taqasim remain present while opening clearly toward other musical idioms. One of the key points in his biography is the founding of the Syrian Oud School in Latakia in 2005, which makes his presence educational as well as performative; his project is not only solo oud playing, but also the creation of an environment for forming players and building a personal sonic identity. In 2016 he moved to Montreal, where he continued his activity within Canadian and international music scenes, appearing in Arabic and world-music contexts and collaborating with musicians from different backgrounds. Among his most visible works is Roots of Strings, released around 2021 by Analekta, with Roberto Occhipinti on double bass and Joseph Khoury on percussion. Titles such as Nazihawand, Roots of Strings, Ataba, Ali Baba Dance, Bab Touma, Damasrose, 2011, and Take Off reveal a project that connects Syrian and Eastern memory with a wider world-music space. For that reason, Nazih Abu Rish / Borish represents a Syrian-global oud line: Arabic maqam, taqasim, improvisation, and musical forms open to flamenco, jazz, blues, and Indian music, with a clear focus on the idea that a soloist needs a distinctive sonic identity, not only correct playing.

Contributions

• Represents a Syrian-global oud line open to flamenco, jazz, blues, and Indian music.
• Founded the Syrian Oud School in Latakia in 2005, making his presence educational as well as performative.
• Moved the oud from a traditional performance frame toward a wider world-music space without breaking its relation to maqam and taqasim.
• Released Roots of Strings as a project connecting Syrian and Eastern memory with open modern forms.
• Emphasizes the creation of a distinctive sonic identity for the soloist, not only correct playing.

Works or related materials

• Roots of Strings — Album, around 2021

  Released by Analekta, featuring oud with double bass and percussion, with Roberto Occhipinti and Joseph Khoury.

• Nazihawand — Track from Roots of Strings

  A title that clearly points to maqam and personal identity at the same time.

• Ataba — Track from Roots of Strings

  Points to Eastern and Levantine vocal memory within a contemporary instrumental frame.

• Bab Touma — Track from Roots of Strings

  Connects Syrian place-memory with a wider world-music space.

• Damasrose — Track from Roots of Strings

  Evokes Damascus and Syrian memory within a contemporary oud language.

• From Damascus to Cordoba — Project/performance

  Reflects oud at the crossroads of Arabic music, flamenco, and cross-stylistic practice.

Related people

Sources listed in the data

• Analekta — Roots of Strings / Nazih Borish

  Album source for Roots of Strings and the recording collaborators.

• Centre des musiciens du monde / Montreal materials

  Sources connected to his Montreal presence and world-music activity.

• Festival / concert materials — From Damascus to Cordoba

  Concert materials presenting his project as oud at the crossroads of Arabic music, flamenco, and global styles.

• Musicatea homepage oud inspirations

  Internal editorial source connecting Nazih Abu Rish to Musicatea’s educational oud journey.

  Source

Links