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Photos

I love these 2 awesome musicians - Waleed Kush Afr

I love these 2 awesome musicians - Waleed Kush Afro-Jazz and Naghmeh Farahmand Music - this photo is from many years ago and I’m so grateful that we have been collaborating together for so many years - We recently completed a wonderful Al Qahwa tour across Canada - and many people have been asking when we’ll be playing again in Toronto - you will be able to catch Al Qahwa with special guests at DROM Taberna on Friday, October 24 - from 8 to 10 p.m. Mark your calendars friends!! :) @qahwa4 @maryemhassantollar @ernietollar @naghmehfarahmand_ @waleedkushafrojazz @dromtaberna

Thanks Patricia O’Callaghan for sending me this

Thanks Patricia O’Callaghan for sending me this nice write up from the local paper from last weekend at the beautiful Blue Skies festival :) @patricia_ocallaghan @maryemhassantollar @waleedkushafrojazz @demetriospetsalakis @naghmehfarahmand_ @ernietollar @mgamagency @qahwa4

What a glorious way to end the Al Qahwa 2025 summe

What a glorious way to end the Al Qahwa 2025 summer tour at Blue Skies Music Festival in Ontario.
The energy of the whole community at our Saturday Night concert transported us - this was the highlight of our summer! Thank you!!! @maryemhassantollar @ernietollar @naghmehfarahmand_ @waleedkushafrojazz @demetriospetsalakis @blueskiesfestival @moskittobar @trojkanomad @ahmedmoneka @sarahkravetz @majdsukarmusic @tangilion29 @thereallotuswight @mgamagency @christinegravesottawa

Calgary Folk Music Festival 2025 - Al Qahwa had a

Calgary Folk Music Festival 2025 - Al Qahwa had a beautiful time reconnecting with old friends and making new ones - Thank you to Kerry Clarke and your whole team for another awesome and beautiful festival :) @mgamagency @maryemhassantollar @naghmehfarahmand_ @waleedkushafrojazz @calgaryfolkfest @ernietollar @dennis.duffin @demetriospetsalakis @viikband @elbalconmusic @elisapie @medusaquartet @timwilliamsblues @saskia_tomkins @martasolek @theferalfiddler

Beautiful day off in Yellowknife with our new frie

Beautiful day off in Yellowknife with our new friend Oskar who borrowed a car to show us the gorgeous natural beauty here. I hope I can come back one day to experience the Northern lights. @maryemhassantollar @ernietollar @joskatollar

Thank you Carly McFadden for inviting Al Qahwa Qua

Thank you Carly McFadden for inviting Al Qahwa Quartet to Folk On The Rock #FOTR2025 in Yellowknife, NWT - so awesome to experience the natural beauty, midnight sun and awesome community of people.

I was so surprised to find out Carly saw us showcase at “Your Roots Are Showing” music conference in Dublin, Ireland!! And that’s when she decided to book us - like I tell my music friends - you never know who’s going to see you at these things

All to say I’m so grateful for it all 🙂 @qahwa4 @maryemhassantollar @ernietollar @naghmehfarahmand_ @waleedkushafrojazz @folkontherocks @mgamagency

Mark your calendars Vancouver! See you on July 24t

Mark your calendars Vancouver! See you on July 24th! FREE Al Qahwa concert! @caravanworldrhythm @maryemhassantollar @ernietollar @waleedkushafrojazz @naghmehfarahmand_ @mgamagency

Al Qahwa Quartet is looking forward to performing

Al Qahwa Quartet is looking forward to performing in Vancouver this week on Thursday, July 24 - FREE Concert!

Tell your Vancouver friends to come and check us out - before we head to The Calgary Folk Festival July 25,26,27 🙂 @robertbenaroya @mgamagency

Al Qahwa Quartet is looking forward to performing

Al Qahwa Quartet is looking forward to performing at the Calgary Folk Music Festival! Photo by Jeff Fasano @jefffasanophoto @maryemhassantollar @ernietollar @waleedkushafrojazz @naghmehfarahmand_ @calgaryfolkfest @mgamagency

Thank you to the NAC for an awesome couple of days

Thank you to the NAC for an awesome couple of days performing with Al Qahwa sextet! Al Qahwa’s summer touring has officially started!

We’re looking forward to playing at Folk On The Rocks in Yellowknife; Calgary Folk Music Festival and finishing off our tour at Blue Skies Festival back in Ontario! @maryemhassantollar @ernietollar @naghmehfarahmand_ @waleedkushafrojazz @demetriospetsalakis @laurenb_freeforall @mgamagency @nac.cna @folkontherocks @calgaryfolkfest @caravanworldrhythm @aviary.edmonton

We will have a couple of in between shows in Vancouver July 24th and in Edmonton July 29 - check our website for details:

https://www.alqahwa.ca/performances/upcoming/

#FOTR2025 Folk On The Rocks
Caravan World Rhythms
Calgary Folk Music Festival

Trio Arabica - together again at The Aga Khan Muse

Trio Arabica - together again at The Aga Khan Museum for the “As The Sun Appears From Beyond” - Twenty Years of the Al Burda Award @maryemhassantollar @demetriospetsalakis @naghmehfarahmand_

We can’t wait to do our first gig tomorrow - on

We can’t wait to do our first gig tomorrow - on mother’s day - as the full 6 piece band (Maryem Tollar, Ernie Tollar, Waleed Abdulhamid, Naghmeh Farahmand, Demetri Petsalakis and Lauren Barnett) since Lauren became a mom herself 🙂. Come and say congratulations to Demetrios Petsalakis and Lauren at DROM Taberna (Queen Street West and Augusta) - we start at 8 pm. @maryemhassantollar @ernietollar @naghmehfarahmand_ @waleedkushafrojazz @demetriospetsalakis @laurenb_freeforall @dromtaberna

So looking forward to performing again with Naghme

So looking forward to performing again with Naghmeh Farahmand - my darling - on Mother’s Day - Sunday, May 11 - 8 to 10 pm at DROM Taberna with the full 6 piece - Al Qahwa - getting ready to tour across Canada in July and August 2025!

Please come to see the band in Toronto at DROM before we set off - details of the tour coming soon!
Maryem Hassan Tollar, Ernie Tollar, Naghmeh Farahmand Music, Waleed Abdulhamid, Demetrios Petsalakis, and Lauren Barnett @maryemhassantollar @ernietollar @naghmehfarahmand_ @waleedkushafrojazz @demetriospetsalakis @laurenb_freeforall @dromtaberna

OK friends - it looks like Al Qahwa has found a ve

OK friends - it looks like Al Qahwa has found a venue (and not just any venue - it seems really AWESOME - I’m very excited about it) in Vancouver - fingers crossed the dates will work (July 22 or 23, 2025); and we have also found what looks like another AWESOME venue in Edmonton. The one in Edmonton holds more people though - and since we have never played there - here’s my new ask ...

Do you know any local Edmonton bands who might want to share the night with us?? I’m tagging you edmonton folks! @simvuch @imnotchrispruden @maryemhassantollar @ernietollar @naghmehfarahmand_ @waleedkushafrojazz @peggybakerdanceprojects

Alberta friends - please DM me if you have any suggestions. We are looking at Tuesday, July 29, 2025 - in Edmonton.

PS - FREE PALESTINE!!!

Hi friends - guess who has an official showcase to

Hi friends - guess who has an official showcase tonight - Saturday, February 22 - at 6:45 pm at FAI 2025 - with Al Qahwa … This guy 🙂 If you’re here at the conference, come and check us out in Salon ABC - level B

Then come to our private showcase at midnight in the Mundial Montreal/Global Toronto room - Room 728

And then we have one final showcase in the singalongs only room at 1:30 am on the 10th floor.

Thank you to the Canada Council and to Factor for supporting us with our travel expenses @maryemhassantollar @ernietollar @naghmehfarahmand_ @waleedkushafrojazz @mgamagency @luisamago99 @folk_alliance @mundialmontreal @globaltorontomusic

Al Qahwa is excited to be an official showcasing a

Al Qahwa is excited to be an official showcasing artist at Folk Alliance International 2025 - if you are in Montreal and attending the conference, come to our official showcase on Saturday, February 22 from 6:45 to 7:15 pm - and/or check out our late night showcases on Friday, February 21 at 11:30 pm to hear traditional/classical music from my motherland of Egypt and Saturday, February 22 (technically February 23 since our set starts at midnight!) in the Mundial Montreal/Global Toronto showcase room. We can’t wait! Photos by @zahrasaleki We are going with the generous support of The Canada Council for the Arts and FACTOR Canada #folk2025 @folk_alliance @maryemhassantollar @ernietollar @naghmehfarahmand_ @waleedkushafrojazz @mgamagency @luisamago99 @canada.council @factorcanada

We had a beautiful last day in Killarney, Ireland

We had a beautiful last day in Killarney, Ireland - we’ll be back one day! @qahwa4 @maryemhassantollar @ernietollar @waleedkushafrojazz

Well we made it to Killarney, Ireland! A little je

Well we made it to Killarney, Ireland! A little jet lagged - but happily we found a midnight music session - and bumped into Saskia Tomkins - and Steafan Hannigan earlier (there are Canadians everywhere 🙂 )

The sound at the showcase rooms is awesome! We can’t wait to do our Al Qahwa showcase on Friday, January 17 at 6 pm in the Mangerton room. If you are here - please stop by! 🙂

@showing_roots
#YRAS

@maryemhassantollar @ernietollar @qahwa4 @steafanh @saskia_tomkins @mgamagency @luisamago99
#YRAS

Al Qahwa Sextet - Tomorrow!!! Ya comin’? We hope

Al Qahwa Sextet - Tomorrow!!! Ya comin’? We hope so!
Sunday, Nov10 - 5 to 7 pm
PWYC
The Southern Cross
292 Brunswick Avenue
Last show for the full Al Qahwa Sextet of 2024 💕 @maryemhassantollar @ernietollar @demetriospetsalakis @naghmehfarahmand_ @waleedkushafrojazz @laurenb_freeforall

Thank you “Beyond Our Roots” festival for havi

Thank you “Beyond Our Roots” festival for having Al Qahwa today - the rain went away and the sun came out - woohoo! There’s one more day of music tomorrow- Sunday, June 30 - you should check it out - at Lee Lifeson Art Park in North York - and it’s all FREE 🙂 (Maryem Hassan Tollar, Ernie Tollar, John Gzowski, Naghmeh Farahmand) @maryemhassantollar @ernietollar @naghmehfarahmand_ @gzapper @qahwa4

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