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Meet the Band

Yasmine Latkowski

Songwriter, Piano & Vocals

Yasmine is a respected music composer and performer known for her enchanting compositions, blending diverse cultural influences into her music and creating meaningful connections across various platforms. Inspired by her dual heritage and the captivating melodies of Middle Eastern music, she embarks on a musical adventure, composing work from Global Documentaries to immersive theatre, embedding communities in Wales. Yasmine works on projects that address deep social issues for change. She has collaborated with the UN on a project called ‘Change Will Change Her Life’, participated in a Global Health Film project titled ‘Forged in Syria’, contributed to a Humanitarian Leadership Academy project called ‘Gender in Conflict’, and partnered with the charity ‘Saving Moses’.

Yasmine’s contributions to the music industry have garnered widespread acclaim, featuring on platforms such as United Nations, BBC Africa Eye, BBC Panorama, and National Theatre Wales. She has also worked on immersive projects with National Theatre Wales and Creative Wales’ games community. The song “Atamanaa,” which means “I hope,” has been used in schools in ethnically diverse areas with support from Arts Council Wales and Cynefin to teach students new perspectives. Yasmine works with renowned session players for her scores, including Joelle Barker, Tim Garside, and the Klezmer band She’Koyokh, often bringing in authentic instrumentation from regions of the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Nathan Hilton of West One Music refers to her music as authentic and elevating, reflecting her commitment to creating beautiful works of art.

Within “Panedeni,” Yasmine has been supported by Arts Council Wales in a project bridging the gap between Arabic, English, and Welsh music. She has worked with musicians from Arab and Welsh heritages such as Rickard (Lo Fi Jones) and Ayoub Boukhalfa (Oasis Choir, National Theatre Wales), promising an exciting blend of music and captivating storytelling.

Joelle Barker

Percussion

World percussionist and Drummer Joelle Barker specialises in Frame drums, Latin percussion, Middle Eastern percussion cajon, reggae, drum kit and much more. She has recorded with many artists, including Ruby Turner, Celloman, Ric Sanders (Fairport Convention), Dave Randell of Faithless and Above and Beyond, as well as working with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

She is currently a drummer with Benji Kirkpatric and The Excess, as well as working alongside DJs as a live percussionist and her own project Bakhita with saxophonist Katie Stevens. With a huge experience and passion for Arabic and ‘Eastern’ music, Joelle is a perfect addition to Panedeni, with her energy and originality inspiring everyone she performs with.

Sam Slater

Guitar & Oud

Sam is a musician, composer and producer, playing guitars and the Arabic Oud for a number of eclectic jazz and world-roots music projects and collaborations. He co-led the critically acclaimed gypsy jazz, flamenco and contemporary classical instrumental band TG Collective, and tours with Sonia Sabri’s Indian Kathak dance company, and Anglo-Polish singer-songwriter Katy Carr.

He has performed worldwide, from the mountains of Bulgaria and castles of Spain to the many festivals and concert halls of the UK – the Royal Opera House to WOMAD, to the car parks of southern Serbia! Sam directs the jazz-inspired Birmingham-based record label, Stoney Lane Records, with the new international Stoney Lane Live series opening with US guitarist Bill Frisell this May to sell-out audiences. He also runs community music producers/programmers Mubu Music. He has played on live sessions for BBC Radio 4’s Loose Ends to Poland’s Trójka Radio, with his music featured on television from NBC and ESPN to the BBC, ITV and CBeebies!

In 2020, he won Best Crime/Investigative Track from the American PMA Mark Awards for his co-composed string quartet, A Curious Voyage, and is currently working on a new performance commission with artists from Birmingham Royal Ballet.

Tim Eastwood

Pipes

Tim is a folk and jazz multi-instrumentalist. Currently focussing on playing folk style fiddle and pipes as well as the great highland pipes. He currently plays in a mediaeval function band, performing for re-enactment events, historical events, private parties and banquets alongside a solo act playing folk style bagpipes and also great highland pipes.

In Panedeni, Tim plays the Fiddle and Folk-Pipes (smaller than the great highland pipes, often bellows driven, originating from a wider area within Europe other than just the Scottish Highlands).

Reuban Allen

Bass

Reuben is a session bassist, educator and composer based in North Wales specialised in jazz and improvised music. His work has taken him all over the country, performing in various scenarios from weddings/functions, Latin bands, different jazz combos, to most recently, playing Arabic and Balkan folk with Panedeni.

Katie Stevens

Woodwind

It was during her classical training on the clarinet at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire that Katie’s musical journey began to take a more global direction. Her ever growing fascination with woodwind instruments and the techniques integral to them allow her to travel and learn through lessons and workshops with great masters around the world. Today she specialises in eastern European, klezmer, Irish and Scandinavian music, playing traditional woodwinds such as the Bulgarian kaval, Irish flute and whistles, Swedish pipa and Arabic nay.

She was recently awarded Arts Council funding to further develop her woodwind skills with a focus on the music and repertoire of Northumbrian piping tradition, kaval ornamentation and Swedish folk music styles with Göran Månsson. In Birmingham she works regularly with Indian dance company, Sonia Sabri Company, with Birmingham’s eclectic folk/world band ‘Bonfire Radicals’ and the powerhouse that is megafolk band ‘The Destroyers’ with whom she performed in the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2023.

Aside from her performing skills she has co-established ‘Birmingham Folk CIC’ – a community music organisation that hosts traditional music learning events, sessions and workshops. As well as in the UK she has performed regularly in Sardinia, Austria and in Palestine where she toured the West Bank with Bristol band ‘Chai for all’.

John Ramm

Percussion

John lives in Wrexham, North Wales – a drummer for more than forty years. He’s played everything from Rock, Blues, Pop and fusion in bands and with original artists. Alongside this work, he’s been a drummer in his local church since 1988, plays acoustic guitar and engineers live events.

Currently he plays for the band Fleece (which is about to release a four-track EP), alongside Panedeni. In both these bands he also sing backing vocals.

Ayoub Boukhalfa

Songwriter

Ayoub Boukhalfa is a queer Moroccan singer and performer. He is a facilitator for the Oasis One World Choir and a member of the Coronation Choir. He has worked with National Theatre Wales on their production of Cost of Living, and has facilitated workshops with Sherman Theatre. His singing style is Moroccan Chaabi. Ayoub is passionate about using his music to create a more inclusive and equitable world. He believes that music has the power to bring people together and to challenge stereotypes. Aouyb found himself voted to the top of the LGBTQ+ pinc list as one of the most influential up and coming gay people in Wales. He is committed to using his platform to amplify the voices of marginalised communities. Ayoub is a talented singer and performer with a bright future ahead of him. He is sure to continue to make waves in the music industry.

“I wrote ‘Atamanaa’ with Yasmine, it’s a song about peace and love and the song is especially talking about what happening in the world at the moment specifically in Palestine.”

Siôn Rickard

Songwriter

Siôn Rickard is a songwriter, musician and actor, based in Machynlleth. He performs regularly as a member of Lo-fi Jones, a dynamic folk/indie band gaining traction on the Welsh music scene. He works fluidly across a wide range of genres, from traditional folk to electro-pop, playfully fusing sounds and ideas. Siôn has reached the televised final of Cân i Gymru, S4Cs National song contest on three consecutive years. His song Slag Heap was shortlisted for Best Welsh language Folk Song at the Welsh Folk Awards 2023. Siôn joins Panedeni as a Welsh language songwriter to co-write a blend of Welsh and Arabic with band leader Yasmine Latkowski.

“It’s been really exciting working with Yasmine. ‘Tafod’ is a fusion of Arabic rhythm, Welsh traditional style melody, and contemporary lyrics. I love how it’s turned out, and hope to work with Yasmine again soon.

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