Baklava Express

Brooklyn-based Baklava Express delivers a vibrant, high-energy sound that evokes the bustle and color of an open-air Mediterranean market. Blending ancient and modern instruments, the ensemble performs original music inspired by Turkish, Greek, Armenian, Arab, Mizrahi, and Sephardi traditions, with subtle influences of jazz, flamenco, and rock.

Their latest release, Sabába, captures a band fully at home in its sound—joyful, fluid, and deeply collaborative, with space for improvisation and spontaneity. Led by oud player and composer Josh Kaye, Baklava Express honors rich musical traditions while creating something fresh and distinctly their own. An instrumental “meeting place,” their music invites listeners into a border-crossing experience full of energy, connection, and discovery.