Hong/ Rafea - From Our World to Yours

Gao Hong and Issam Rafea met in the spring of 2017. Gao Hong was teaching at Carleton College in United States and Issam was invited there for a residency. Before Issam left, they decided to go into a recording studio without any preparation. The result was their highly-acclaimed first album, "Life as Is", which was nominated in two categories for Independent Music Awards ('Best Instrumental Album' and 'Best World Beat Album'), made the first ballot for the Grammys, and has received rave reviews, accolades and airplay worldwide. Even after two years of performing and recording together, their approach to music remains the same. They never plan or talk about what they will play ahead of time. They only perform live compositions that they improvise on-the-spot on stage and in the studio. In performances, they base some of their music on titles suggested by the audience. They use their hearts, musical talents, and strong connection to produce their special brand of music. This new recording, "From Our World to Yours", was done in the exact same way as their first - all in one day with no rehearsal, discussion or planning whatsoever. The entire album was recorded live and no editing was done. Here they use music to express the ups and downs in their lives, their imagination, and their view of what the future might bring. They strive to create new colors, new sounds, and new means of expression to bring their artistry to towering new heights. They use their emotional connection to describe different images, events, and feelings.