Zambra (from the Arabic word for “gathering”) is a groundbreaking quintet that weaves together diverse musical traditions from across the globe, comprised of Devon Gates (bass, Atlanta, GA), Ria Modak (guitar, NYC), Angela Varo Moreno (violin, Andalusia, Spain), Bahar Badieitabar (oud, Tehran, Iran), and Queralt Giralt (cello, Catalonia, Spain). This unique collaboration brings together five exceptional musicians from varying musical backgrounds to create a harmonious fusion of flamenco, Romani, Persian classical, Indian, Catalonian, and jazz traditions. Through original compositions and imaginative arrangements of traditional melodies, Zambra celebrates cultural connection, sisterhood, and the art of improvisation. Their performances create intimate sonic worlds grounded in deep friendship and mutual respect, inviting both musicians and audiences into spaces of vulnerability and creative discovery.

As 2025 Detroit Jazz Festival Commission awardees, the group will present “Songs for our Mothers”, a song cycle dedicated to the women who nourished us, as filtered through the lens of the diverse musical traditions we grew up amidst, from Catalonian sardana to the lilting boat songs of India’s western coast; from the alegrías del Šarad, a reimagination of the traditional flamenco palo of Alegrías, to the Deep South’s dirty blues. Grounded in a spirit of intergenerational and cross-border storytelling, these songs provide a vital counter narrative in a climate where borders alienate us from one another based on place of origin.