Aliya Cycon Project

Aliya Cycon Project, performing their album release concert. Aliya Cycon grew up studying jazz piano and classical ballet in Western Massachusetts. In college, she travelled to Palestine, where she developed a passion for Arabic music and culture. While a student at Berklee College of Music in New York City, she studied the Arabic ‘oud, an 11-stringed instrument used widely throughout the Middle East, under the renowned Simon Shaheen. She became the first female ‘oud player to graduate Berklee. Aliya Cycon Project is her 7-person band. Their jazzy and soulful compositions combine characteristics of traditional Arabic music to create an unforgettable East-meets-West experience. Along with leading the band on her ‘oud and voice, Cycon composes and arranges all their repertoire. The band members represent many different countries, including Iran, Dominican Republic, and Palestine. As a natural result, the group’s sound has taken on aspects of each member’s cultures.