Amal Murkus is a pioneering Palestinian singer, songwriter, and actress who has devoted her career topromoting Palestinian music and culture. She has been called the «Fayrouz of Palestine» and has collaborated with notable artists such as Mercedes Sosa, Joan Baez, Robert Wyatt, and Enzo Avitabile. Alessandro Sgobbio is an Italian composer, pianist, and producer who has been expanding his own personal vocabulary of compositions, improvisations, and spiritual explorations through music. Sgobbio dedicated a few of his compositions to Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was killed by the Israeli army, and to the young Palestinian victims of the Gaza war, nurse Razan Al-Najjar, artist Mahasen Al-Khatib, and Mahasen Al-Khatib, who were killed during an Israeli attack on Al-Aksa hospital.
Murkus and Sgobbio began their collaboration with a sold-out concert at Teatro Piccinni in Bari (Italy) in 2024, then met again in April 2025 for a recording session at the Artesuono Studios in Udine, to record their debut duo album, Breathing تنف»س.
Naturally, Breathing تنف»س addresses the current disastrous times, with a lamenting, lyrical atmosphere, but it is also a poetic, life-affirming statement of resilience and hope. The album begins with a new rendition of Italian singer-songwriter and sax player Enzo Avitabile’s «Canta Palestina» (originally sung by French-Tunisian singer-songwriter and actress Amina), now titled “Canta نبقى نُغَني”. Murkus sings about the Palestinian hope for freedom and decent life, and Sgobbio embraces her warm, commanding delivery with economic, captivating elegance. Sgobbio’s wordless «Bah’ri بَحرِي» stresses further the organic, rich, and profound dynamics of Murkus and Sgobbio.
The openly emotional and mournful «Risalatohu رِسالتُه» was written by Palestinian songwriter Nizar Zreik (Murkus’ Partner), and its reserved delivery highlights its intense emotional power. The classic love song «Ahwak أهواك» by Egyptian singer Mohamed Abdel Wahab (with lyrics by poet Hussein El-Sayed, which was made famous by fellow Egyptian singer Abdel Halim Hafez) is presented as a chamber Middle-Eastern art song, with Firas Zreik on kanun, highlighting, again, Murkus reserved, vulnerable delivery. It is followed by the Syrian folk song «Ya Mayela يا مايِلة», with Sgobbio’s clever usage of the piano pedals to offer an infectious rhythmic drive.
This beautiful, moving album closes with Nizar Zreik’s «La Ahada لا احد», a poetic, mournful song that dreams about a better future for Gaza, and the Palestinian women’s song «Khodoni خُذوني», with Sgobbio’s evocative live electronics adding a timeless aroma to this song. Both songs reflect Murkus’ belief in the power of art and music to suggest a better, just, and compassionate world.
Eyal Hareuveni
Amal Murkus (vocals), Alessandro Sgobbio (piano, live electronics), Firas Zreik (Kanun)
