M’oud Swing Band Members
Karim Kadiri, Barry Sames, Najib, Joseph Tayoun, Anibal Rojas,
David Brodie
Karim Kadiri
Born in Casablanca, Morocco to a musical family, Kadiri grew up
listening to the giants of Arabic music, including Mohamed Abdel-
Wahab, Oum Kalsoum, Laila Mourad, and Abdel Halim Hafez. He
counts among his influences oud greats Simon Shaheen, Said Chraibi,
and especially the great Moroccan composer and performer Al Oustaz
Ahmed Al Bidaoui. In his late teens, Kadiri was introduced to jazz
when he happened to see the movie "The Benny Goodman Story." The
experience turned him on to Ella Fitzgerald, Al Di Meola, and, his idol,
Chick Corea.
Today, Moroccan Oudist Kadiri performs at local venues in the
Philadelphia area as a solo act as well as with M'oudswing, a group he
co-founded to explore both Arabic music and jazz. He also performs
his compositions with the Roxanne Butterfly tap dance group and
Djellabah Groove. Together they performed at the world music festival
"Globalfest 2006" in New York City.
For a different side of Kadiri, check out his first CD "Shades of
Brown," a soulful, entertaining piece with a serious, yet positive,
message about friendship and world peace.
Barry Sames
Keyboardist Barry Sames enjoys exploring different musical
genres, both as performer and as arranger/producer. M'oudswing co-
founder, Sames has taken his music to Europe, Asia, the Caribbean,
and South America, performing in a variety of musical groups including
gospel, Latin, funk/jazz, and blues. Sames spent five years recording
and performing original compositions in South America and the
Caribbean with Philadelphia-based ethno-fusion group, The Arpeggio
Jazz Ensemble. Sames later explored the world of rock/jazz-fusion, co-
founding an original five-piece band INSYNK in the early 1990s
featuring Drummer Ishmael Wilburn from WEATHER REPORT. Sames
has also performed and recorded with Philadelphia guitarist Monette
Sudler, Violinist John Blake, and Percussionist Marlon Simon.
Najib
Drummer Najib began playing at age five in his grandfather's
church in Detroit, MI. By age 16, he was playing professionally in R&B
bands in the Atlantic City area. Najib began touring while at the
University of the Arts in Philadelphia with various funk, rock and jazz
groups. He got his first break with jazz organist Shirley Scott, touring
with her quartet. Najib subsequently has performed world-wide with
various international artists including Norah Jones, Cassandra Wilson,
Sonny Rollins, , Ludacris, Shirley Horn, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis,
Grover Washington, Ravi Coltrane, Branford Marsalis, Sun Ra, Bobby
Watson, and Morris Day. Najib continues to perform music of all
genres.
Joseph Tayoun
Tayoun, a second generation Lebanese American, is an
accomplished Middle Eastern percussionist. He started playing at age
eight at his family’s restaurant in Philadelphia, PA, where live authentic
Arabic, Turkish, Persian, Armenian Greek, and Israeli music and dance
was performed nightly. Learning from the area’s top players, Tayoun
became adept at many styles of drumming within these different
ethnicities. Tayoun performs regularly with various Middle Eastern
ensembles and also conducts workshops in schools and universities.
Tayoun has played for several seasons at two of the world’s largest
casinos: the Trump Taj Mahal (Atlantic City, NJ) and Foxwoods resort
Casino (Mashantucket, CT). He has participated in several residencies
with Zakir Hussain and Simon Shaheen at Swarthmore University and
The Painted Bride Art Center in Philadelphia, PA. He has performed
with Israeli composer, oudist, and violinist Yair Dalal as well as with
Philadelphia Orchestra cellist Ohad "Udi" Bar-David and his ensemble
Intercultural Journeys. Additionally, Tayoun has played at Concerts for
Peace with the Arabic/Jewish ensemble Atzilut, which has taken him
throughout the US, Germany, and Portugal.
Anibal Rojas
Chilean-born saxophonist Anibal Rojas brings to every performance
a unique mix of his Latin roots, classical training, love of jazz, and
funky R&B flair. A tenor saxophone powerhouse, Rojas is equally at
home on saxophone, EWI, flute, and a wide variety of Andean wind
instruments including pan flutes and quena.
Rojas, who tours regularly with Cuba Gooding and the Main
Ingredient, has also performed and/or recorded with Latin jazz great
Ray Mantilla, Tom Bowes of Tower of Power fame, Philadelphia 76ers
House Band, the Latin Jazz Journey, former Spin Doctor Anthony
Krizan, Dennis Gruenling and Jump Time, The Diablo Project, Don’t
Call Me Francis, The Philadelphia Funk Authority, and Skin Tight & The
New York Horns. Rojas has twice been invited to perform for the King
of Morocco at the palace in Marrakech.
Rojas – a high-energy performer, former competitive Latin dancer,
and accomplished composer – has played major venues nationwide,
including Carnegie Hall, The Apollo Theater, Universal Studios
Amphitheatre, and The Greek Theater, and has appeared on the
television shows "Access Hollywood," "The Joan Rivers Show," "Good
Morning America," and "The Today Show."
David Brodie
David Brodie started playing the electric bass at the age of thirteen
and first took on the upright bass at nineteen, while enrolled at
Berklee college of Music. After a year in Spain, he returned to his
native Philadelphia where he quickly joined up with guitarist Jimmy
Bruno, with whom he played for the next several years. From that
point, his reputation well established, Brodie has enjoyed a busy
playing and recording career and has played with some of the best
jazz musicians in the world including Kurt Rosenwinkel, Chris Potter,
Seamus Blake, and Randy Brecker while performing regularly with
Philadelphia's finest such as John Swana, Larry Mckenna, and Sid
Simmons.