HIWAR Oriental Jazz

Following the critical success of their debut album Shapes of Silence, Aleph Quintet returns with Hiwar, a project that deepens and expands the group’s singular artistic language. Based in Brussels and increasingly present on the international music scene, the five musicians have developed a distinctive sound built on the meeting point between modern jazz and North African traditional music. The title Hiwar, which means “dialogue” in Arabic, reflects the core spirit of the album: a musical conversation shaped by exchange, listening, heritage, and creation.

More than a simple fusion project, Hiwar explores what dialogue truly means. It suggests openness, the sharing of ideas, and the willingness to understand one another through music. Each member of the quintet contributes a personal background, sensibility, and experience, resulting in a collective expression that is both deeply rooted and strikingly contemporary.

The album has already received strong recognition, including a Choc from Jazz Magazine and a Coup de cœur from Paris-Move, while also being praised by Belgian and international media, notably in The Best Jazz on Bandcamp. These distinctions reinforce Aleph Quintet’s growing reputation, already established through previous awards such as Révélation by Jazz Magazine, Best Belgian Jazz Album, the Prix de la Presse Musicale Française, and the Tanit d’argent. The group has also toured widely across Europe and the Middle East.