In January of 2025 I found myself immersed in the vibrant heart of the Medina of Tunis. My stay was in a quiet and beautiful hotel with a distinctly Berber architectural influence, and I was treated to 4 days of exceptional cuisine, shopping, and a trip to the ruins of Carthage.

One afternoon, seeking warmth with a cup of hot chocolate (Tunis was unexpectedly chilly in January), I noticed a faint rhythm emanating from speakers concealed behind palm trees. Though the music was barely audible, its rhythm resonated with me, and I quickly jotted it down as best I could.* To ensure I had a reference, I also used Shazam.

Back in Seattle, I quickly began composing, inspired by that rhythm. Drawing on past projects with a North African influence, I incorporated some familiar percussion samples.**

I had completed about 75% of the piece when I remembered that I still had the Shazam results on my phone.***  I played the track on Spotify,  only to discover it bore little resemblance to my work or my memory of the café music.  Perhaps there was a faint hint of the rhythm that I had thought I heard, but it seemed barely discernible.

Ultimately, this discrepancy was a positive surprise, confirming the originality of my composition. The final piece blends North African rhythms with an IDM (Intelligent Dance Music) influenced orchestration, a fusion that might not fully honor either tradition. However, the creative journey was immensely enjoyable, and I'm delighted with the outcome.

Please enjoy!


P.S. Later, I revisited the Shazam link and discovered it had directed me to a live performance, not the studio recording I'd heard in the café. After further searching, I found the studio version, which, to my relief, closely matched my composition. It's reassuring to know my ears weren't as deceiving as I'd feared


*Actual transcription:  “X.x x, Xx x x, (Tunis) In 6, two halves, first is a straight waltz, second is on half beats. YES!!”

** Conga, Cabasa, both from Cuba, and personal samples of an Udu, originally from Nigeria.  All of these percussion instruments are manufactured by LP, a percussion instrument maker headquartered in New Jersey.  None of these are particularly North African, but here we are. 

*** “Nassaya” by Lotfi Bouchnak.

Four Nights In Tunisia

Cadence Errata