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Al Qahwa – Maryem Tollar, Ernie Tollar, Demetri Petsalakis, Naghmeh Farahmand
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Happy Eid from Ottawa 🙂 Come and celebrate with us Happy Eid from Ottawa 🙂 Come and celebrate with us tonight at 8 pm at the NAC - Fourth Stage @qahwa4 @maryemhassantollar @ernietollar @waleedkushafrojazz @naghmehfarahmand_ @omneya___ @nac.cna @mgamagency 

You can get your tickets here:

https://nac-cna.ca/en/event/40837
This Thursday!!! Woo hoo - come to celebrate Eid; This Thursday!!! Woo hoo - come to celebrate Eid; or to hear some Egyptian classics; or to get your North African groove on - we can’t wait to see you in Ottawa!!! 

Photos taken by Jen Squires @qahwa4 @maryemhassantollar @ernietollar @omneya___ @waleedkushafrojazz @naghmehfarahmand_ @mgamagency @nac.cna 
@jensquiresphotographer 
If you didn’t get your tickets yet, go to the link in bio:

https://nac-cna.ca/en/event/40837
I’m looking forward to singing and playing for you I’m looking forward to singing and playing for you in Ottawa at The Fourth Stage - in the NAC (1 Elgin Street, Ottawa) on Thursday, May 28, 2026 with Al Qahwa Quintet.

You can get your tickets at the link in bio:

https://nac-cna.ca/en/event/40837

Photos by Jen Squires @maryemhassantollar @ernietollar @omneya___ @waleedkushafrojazz @naghmehfarahmand_ @mgamagency @nac.cna @jensquiresphotographer
In less than 2 weeks, Al Qahwa Quintet (Maryem Has In less than 2 weeks, Al Qahwa Quintet (Maryem Hassan Tollar, Ernie Tollar, Waleed Abdulhamid, Naghmeh Farahmand and Omneya Tollar) will be performing at The NAC at the Fourth Stage - if you are in the Ottawa area, we’d love to see you there!

Thursday, May 28 at 8 p.m. - Fourth Stage, 1 Elgin Street, Ottawa 

You can get your tickets at the link in bio :) 
https://nac-cna.ca/en/event/40837

Photos by Jen Squires @qahwa4 @maryemhassantollar @ernietollar @omneya___ @waleedkushafrojazz @naghmehfarahmand_ @mgamagency @nac.cna @jensquiresphotographer
TODAY! Maryem Tollar Presents “Al Qahwa Octet” at TODAY!

Maryem Tollar Presents “Al Qahwa Octet” at The Southern Cross
292 Brunswick Avenue, Toronto 
5 to 7 p.m.
PWYC

If you’re celebrating Mother’s Day - bring your mom!  If you aren’t - just come!  We can’t wait to play for you :)

The Tranzac Club @qahwa4 @maryemhassantollar @omneya___ @waleedkushafrojazz @naghmehfarahmand_ @ernietollar @jaash.singh @demetriospetsalakis @laurenb_freeforall @mgamagency @tranzac292
Sunday May 10 - 5 to 7 pm - at The Tranzac - 292 B Sunday May 10 - 5 to 7 pm - at The Tranzac - 292 Brunswick Avenue - Toronto - PWYC -  Don’t miss this opportunity to see Al Qahwa Octet - Get your groove on to North African Rhythms, Jazz, Arabic maqam and some Bollywood thrown in for good measure! Bring your moms - bring your kids!  Al Qahwa Octet is Maryem Tollar, Ernie Tollar, Naghmeh Farahmand, Waleed Abdulhamid, Omneya Tollar, Jaash Singh, Demetri Petsalakis and Lauren Barnett.  PHOTOS by @jensquiresphotographer  PWYCThe Tranzac - Southern Cross - 292 Brunswick Avenue @maryemhassantollar @ernietollar @omneya___ @waleedkushafrojazz @naghmehfarahmand_ @demetriospetsalakis @laurenb_freeforall @jaash.singh @tranzac292 @mgamagency
Ottawa friends! Al Qahwa Quintet is coming to the Ottawa friends!  Al Qahwa Quintet is coming to the NAC - and we’d love to see you there.  This will be our first time at “The Fourth Stage” - come on down to dance to our North African grooves and Arabic melodies with some jazz and a little Bollywood thrown in!

You can get your tickets at the link in our bio!
https://nac-cna.ca/en/event/40837

PS - the photo on the poster was taken by Jen Squires and the poster was made by Omneya Tollar @maryemhassantollar @omneya___ @waleedkushafrojazz @naghmehfarahmand_ @ernietollar @mgamagency @nac.cna
Some shots from Al Qahwa’s show last night at DROM Some shots from Al Qahwa’s show last night at DROM Taberna!

What’s that? You missed it?

Well you’re in luck! You can catch us on Sunday, May 10th at my residency at The Southern Cross from 5 to 7 pm -PWYC

Maryem Tollar Presents “Al Qahwa’s Octet”
The Tranzac - 292 Brunswick Avenue
5 to 7 pm @maryemhassantollar @omneya___ @naghmehfarahmand_ @waleedkushafrojazz @demetriospetsalakis @laurenb_freeforall @jaash.singh @ernietollar @tranzac292 @mgamagency
We had our final rehearsal today and we are rarin’ We had our final rehearsal today and we are rarin’ to go!  Al Qahwa Octet - Friday, April 24, 2026 8:30 p.m. at Drom Taberna. 

I’m planning to go early to have dinner and listen to our ever so talented Demetri play with his jazz world trio from 6 to 8 p.m. featuring the wonderful Dimitra Kahrimanidis (one of the most beautiful singers I’ve ever heard!) - and to enjoy some of that delicious Eastern European dinner.

We can’t wait to see you on Friday! Only 2 more days! 🙂

Here are some more lovely photos of the band taken by Jen Squires

To make a reservation at Drom Taberna, call 647-748-2099 or text 437-450-2099
458 Queen Street West, Toronto @maryemhassantollar @ernietollar @naghmehfarahmand_ @waleedkushafrojazz @demetriospetsalakis @dromtaberna @laurenb_freeforall @omneya___ @jaash.singh @mgamagency
Al Qahwa is so excited to be coming back to Drom T Al Qahwa is so excited to be coming back to Drom Taberna in just over a week - on Friday, April 24, 2026 - first set at 8:30 p.m. - don’t forget to make your reservation, if you want to come earlier to have dinner!

call 647-748-2099 or text 437-450-2099 or email: reservations@dromtaberna.com

Here are some of our new photos taken by Jen Squires — @qahwa4 @maryemhassantollar @omneya___ @waleedkushafrojazz @naghmehfarahmand_ @dromtaberna @ernietollar @jaash.singh @demetriospetsalakis @laurenb_freeforall
I am so happy that I get to sing with my little ba I am so happy that I get to sing with my little babes - Omneya - these days!  It’s so crazy that some of the tunes we’re performing are songs that I wrote when she was a baby - and now she’ll be up on stage with me singing in harmony :). 

Thanks to Jen Squires for this lovely photo of the 2 of us!  We are so looking forward to Friday April 24 when we’ll be sharing new repertoire with Al Qahwa Octet at the always exciting Drom Taberna! @maryemhassantollar @omneya___ @ernietollar @waleedkushafrojazz @naghmehfarahmand_ @jaash.singh @demetriospetsalakis @laurenb_freeforall @jensquiresphotographer 

To make a reservation, you can  call 647-748-2099 or text 437-450-2099 or email at: reservations@dromtaberna.com 

See you there! — with Ernie Tollar and 6 others.
The Al Qahwa family is growing - start 2026 right The Al Qahwa family is growing - start 2026 right with us at The Southern Cross (292 Brunswick Avenue) where you’ll hear lots of new tunes for the group - Al Qahwa Octet - Maryem Tollar, Ernie Tollar, Naghmeh Farahmand Music, Waleed Kush Afro-Jazz, Demetri Petsalakis, Lauren Barnett, Omneya Tollar and Jaash Singh. We’ll be doing a lot of original tunes, with Arabic, Jazz and North African vibes and a little Bollywood thrown in for good measure!
PWYC @qahwa4 @maryemhassantollar @ernietollar @naghmehfarahmand_ @waleedkushafrojazz @omneya___ @demetriospetsalakis @laurenb_freeforall @jaash.singh
Al Qahwa at The ROM - 1 set done, 1 to go 🙂 love Al Qahwa at The ROM - 1 set done, 1 to go :) love these cuties! @qahwa4 @maryemhassantollar @naghmehfarahmand_ @waleedkushafrojazz @laurenb_freeforall @omneya___
Al Qahwa (Maryem Hassan Tollar, Ernie Tollar, Nagh Al Qahwa (Maryem Hassan Tollar, Ernie Tollar, Naghmeh Farahmand Music, Waleed Kush Afro-Jazz)- is preparing some funky music for our show THIS FRIDAY - October 24 - 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. at DROM Drom Taberna - with special guests Jaash Singh on percussion, Patrick O’Reilly on guitar and Omneya Tollar on b.up vocals - PWYC

Let’s dance and groove together my friends! @qahwa4 @maryemhassantollar @omneya___ @jaash.singh @wire.circus @waleedkushafrojazz @naghmehfarahmand_ @ernietollar @dromtaberna
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 ni 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
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© Al Qahwa, 2020