All post high school Maryem Hassan wanted to do was make a living through music, something her father forbade. She joined a Toronto-based Arabic singing group in protest – a decision that would change her life. It renewed her interest in her cultural heritage, connected her with her future husband, Ernie Toller, and led her to form the world music ensemble Al Qahwa (Arabic for “the coffee house,” inspired by vibrant Middle Eastern coffee house culture) in 2016. They gathered like-minded, musically curious and virtuosic Canadian, Greek, Egyptian, Sudanese and Iranian descendant artists to join the ensemble, which weaves together original compositions and beloved Arabic classics — from Sufi devotional love songs and vibrant folk melodies to the timeless hits of Egypt’s golden age. Tollar’s musical universe continues to widen, including work in theatre and being the voice behind CBC’s Little Mosque on the Prairie ending theme song. In Al Qahwa, she plays the riqq (Arabic tambourine) and qanun (Arabic table harp). The ensemble includes her now-husband Ernie Tollar on wind instruments, Demetri Petsalakis on the oud, Naghmeh Fahrahmand on percussion, Waleed Abdulhamid on bass and vocals, and Lauren Barnett on harmonies and saxophone. This uniquely made-in-Canada coffee house group creates a multi-faceted, entrancing pan-global tapestry that transcends cultural barriers and ignites raw emotion.

- Kerry Clarke