Becaye Aw is a guitarist from Mauritania, now living and playing in Norway. He has been able to integrate his African music traditions well with Norwegian traditional music, and has been playing with many of the most respected musicians both Europe, and famous African musicians like Baaba Maal and Ali Farka Toure.

Matona is a highly respected musician (violin/oud) from Zanzibar, key teacher at Zanzibar’s music school DCMA, and participant in many international music projects. Anne Hytta is one of Norway's leading younger players of the Hardanger Fiddle, winner of numerous awards and well established concert and recording artist.

Matona and Anne Hytta have already played several concerts together with their unique blend of traditional melodies and harmonies integrating taarab traditions with Norwegian fiddle music.

Supplemented by Rajab Suleiman, an accomplished player of the qanun, who has already been playing with Norwegian musicians both in Zanzibar and in Norway, this quartet will be able to link together music from East, West, North and South in a unique way.

Already in the repertoire developed between Matona and Anne, one can hear the potential of the blend of Norwegian and Zanzibari music, and with the addition of two new instruments and a virtuoso performance of West African music, the mix will be very interesting. For one song, the NEWS Quartet will enjoy accompaniment from four guest musicians of the RNK Symphony Orchestre in Oslo, on violin, viola, cello and double bass.