Nebadrud Quartet

The newly established band with the enigmatic name “Nebadrud” brings together four upcoming and promising musicians who represent the new generation in authentic music creation in Cyprus.

Giannis Koutis began playing as a soloist, developing an individual approach, based on a clear acoustic sound, which is sometimes filtered through the sound of today – more electric, more dynamic, employing a palette of effects, either on the oud or in the vocals but always preserving its musical integrity.

Alkis Agathokleous took on the ney, approaching the primordial sound of the instrument from a more modern perspective. Influenced by jazz but also by the Sufi tradition inherent to the instrument, the musician enters into a creative dialogue with the other two members of the band, Nicolas Tryphonos and Rodos Panayiotou. The former with the sweetness of his sound and the latter with his versatile perception of rhythm bring colour, sensitivity and musicality to the band’s compositions.

The result is a fusion of world music soundscapes, which blend together melodically, harmonically and rhythmically. The band’s music ranges from classical Arabic to modern Western. The vocals lead the instruments or are led by them along the roads of tradition, while improvisation occupies a distinct place both in the quartet’s compositions and in the pieces by other composers they perform.

Alkis Agathokleous: ney
Giannis Koutis: oud, fretless guitar, vocals
Rodos Panayiotou: drums
Nicolas Tryphonos: double bass