ShusmoWe had a unique musical outing last night when we got the chance to listen to a live performance by the band Shusmo, Arabic for "What’s his name?” The band performed at The Jerusalem Fund in downtown DC, enthralling us with their compositions that mesh jazz elements with Arabic melodies.

The performance space was extremely cozy, designed to mimic a jazz bar, something that allowed for direct interaction between the band and the audience. I really enjoyed the outcome of this marriage between jazz and Arabic music, which got me engaged for the whole two hour performance.

The percussion was just fantastic. I loved the interaction between the tabla and the congas. You can check out the band here where you can listen to a sample of their music. It is also worth noting that Beisan, who graced us with her presence last night, also enjoyed the performance.