“What started as a simple joke during a casual night of some friends in a Swiss living room should very soon develop as a project of serious musical collaboration, cultural exchange and friendship. To the question of a Syrian friend when we would visit the Middle East I replied: ‘When you book us a tour down there.’ A couple months later I received a phone call from the Syrian friend and now manager of the band where she said: ‘I have you some musicians in Lebanon who are interested in hosting and playing with you.’ ” – Florian Hoesl

So out of the blue in September 2022 the band DRUCKMITTEL was on its way to Beirut to meet Ziad El Ahmadie (oud) and Nidal Abou Samra (saxophone). The phenomenal chemistry the group developed within these few days created such a mesmerizing vibe that both musicians and audience felt the imminent need for more and “The Lucerne – Beirut Connection” was born. Despite all efforts, the group instantly started to get together across continents every couple months and quickly developed its own musical style, crossing musical cultures without any needs for stereotypes. All members compose and so the repertoire can’t be described with just one genre. Mostly original music merges elements from Contemporary Jazz, Funk and Minimal and Oriental Music into something new, while challenging rhythms and melodies are presented so clearly that the audience is never left alone. The group is also not afraid to work with well-known traditional Arabic lyrics and melodies, another challenge the European fraction of the band happily accepts.