Faris Ishaq: The Open Fund
Short Project Title: JASAD ( Body) by Faris Ishaq
Project Description: A breath-driven manifesto by Faris Ishaq, reimagining the Nay flute —a Middle Eastern flute with a 5,000-year history—as a contemporary, self-sustained acoustic landscape. Performing the Nay alongside a leg-mounted frame drum, the setup was born from the Nay’s raw intensity. Made of reed cane with no mechanics, it responds solely to the player’s breath and intention—a quality celebrated in JASAD as living technology. Faris creates breath-led extended techniques and intricate rhythms, trading electronic effects for acoustic illusions, woven live with his soulful lyricism into a multi-layered acoustic solo. Steeped in Dabke dance, he blends its earthy footwork with the improvisational tradition of Tashbib, shaping a synergy of Palestinian breath and culture. Infused with Global Jazz sensibilities, his compositions move seamlessly between Arabic Maqam modalities and Coltrane-inspired arrangements. JASAD weaves cultural memory with contemporary expression, rekindling the quiet dialogue between breath, body, and surrounding landscape in an increasingly digitized world.