The Forge

Formed in 2006 in New York City, Kinan Azmeh’s CityBand immediately gained recognition for their virtuosic and high energy performance, receiving praise from such sources as the New York
Times’ Vivien Schweitzer, who deemed the segment, "the highlight of the evening." Azmeh’s impressive resume includes performances in Paris, London, Berlin, New York, Moscow, and Damascus, both as a soloist and composer. With this New York ensemble, he strives to reach a balance between classical music, jazz, and the music of his homeland, Syria. Azmeh’s expressive clarinet meets Kyle Sanna’s rustic guitar, soaring at times over the dynamic and volatile backdrop of John Hadfield’s percussion and Josh Myers’ double bass. Each band member has come from varied backgrounds to add their personal flair to this ensemble, resulting in a thoroughly exciting and rewarding listening experience.

Past performances of the band have included the Library of Congress in Washington DC, Merkin Concert Hall, and Le Poisson Rouge in New York City, and a recent sold-out European tour that included IVAM, Valencia’s Modern Art Museum, Fondacion Tres Culturas Theater in Seville and Salle Des Actes at the École Normale Superieure in Paris.