..Yalla!, takes its title from the Arabic word for hurry. It informs some of the album’s most compelling moments, but also the record’s urgency to display the leader’s versatility...."
- DownBeat Magazine
"...with a near-perfect balance of melody and groove, his finger and arco work is outshined by his abilities as a composer and arranger on Yalla. Hassan folds multicultural influences into a post-bop core, wherein a close ear reveals Latin and Middle Eastern strains woven so skillfully into the arrangements that tracks like "Dance of the Grackles" and "Twice at Once" never become as obvious as fusion. Shapeshifting beauty on "Dublin" and "Arab Spring" point to an ability to create future standards, bringing out the best of both band and tune...."
"...a conceptually cohesive album that crackles with spontaneity and enchants with its lyricism. Thanks to Hassan’s creative imagination and his colleagues’ superb musicianship, Yalla! is a testament to the universality of the musical experience."
"...an album that is both surprising and stunning. With its roots in jazz it encompasses elements of classical, world and the avant-garde to create a visual canvas of rich colours and adventurous compositions that are diverse and intertwining. The masterful array of musicians gathered provide textured and stylistic instrumentations that support and highlight each others talents. Tarik's double bass playing is exceptional with a uniqueness that is tender and effortless."
"Un superbe opus qui a de quoi ravir les amateurs de jazz de par la qualité des compositions et de l’interprétation au service d’une belle originalité."
"...se perdre dans ce voyage vers l’infini où l’amour et la poésie semblent être la règle."
"Chacune (composition) manifeste son ouverture au monde, sa curiosité et sa joie. Cette musique donne de la vie, de l'énergie et ouvre l'esprit."
"un voyage passionnant à travers un monde sans frontières ni barrières.”