El Khat

El Khat is more than just a band – it is a musical powerhouse that creates a riveting musical universe using everyday objects, homemade instruments and the cultural memories of an entire diaspora. Led by the visionary and multi-instrumentalist Eyal El Wahab, the group combines the traditional melodies of Yemen’s golden age with an uncompromisingly modern, raw, and highly energetic sound.

The band’s name refers to a plant ubiquitous across the Arabian Peninsula and serves as a symbol for the exhilarating and almost trance-like effect of their music. The instruments are unique - El Wahab builds many of his instruments himself. The dli and the kearat, for instance, are instruments he made from recycled materials collected on streets and in courtyards. He transforms what others throw away into instruments steeped in history. This “DIY aesthetic” gives the music its characteristic texture – warm and archaic yet futuristic.

As a child of the Yemeni diaspora, raised in Tel Aviv-Jaffa, El Wahab carries the longing for his ancestors’ home in every note. His music, however, is no old-fashioned folklore, but a pulsating conversation between nostalgia and radical renewal. El Khat’s concerts are a celebration of creativity – a danceable, hypnotic mix of Yemeni rhythms, urban intensity and avant-garde exuberance.

This is an invitation to hear music in an entirely new way – as a force born out of pure inventiveness that delights in breaching the boundaries between tradition and experimentation.

Eyal El Wahab – Pancello / Jalon / Drums / Vocals

Lotan Yaish – Drums / Percussion / Vocals

Galor Yefet – Keys / Percussion / Vocals