Natives of the old city of Jerusalem, Farid and Rami Chehade come from a Palestinian family. They grew up in a home that was a meeting point for poets and musicians dedicated to keeping alive near forgotten improvisational forms of music based on mystical old scales known as ‘makama’.

Today, both brothers are recognised as multifaceted musicians with virtuoso skills in both melodic Arabic instruments - the oud, bouzok, kanoun, kananjeh and nay - and Arabic rhythmic instruments such as the tabla, katem and riq. In the late 1990s, the Chehade travelled to Beirut, and joined The Oriental Roots Orchestra – a big band formed by Michel Elefteriades who brought together many of the finest musicians in the Arab world.