Originated within the African-American communities of New Orleans, United States, within the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, jazz music has unfold its affect across the globe. As we speak, in Egypt, the variety of Egyptian jazz musicians is steadily rising.
The previous decade has witnessed the emergence of many jazz bands in Egypt, similar to Cairokee, Massar Egbari, El Dor El Awal and Cairo Steps. These bands have achieved nice success and took part in lots of worldwide festivals and occasions.
Jazz music in Egypt is normally linked to the identify of Yehia Khalil, who is taken into account considered one of Egypt’s jazz pioneers and who invented “oriental jazz.”
“Jazz is totally different than some other music style; it reaches on to the soul,” Khalil informed Al-Monitor.
In 1965, Khalil left for america to check jazz. Fifteen years later, in 1979, he determined to take what he had discovered and transfer again to Egypt.
After introducing jazz to the Egyptian music scene, by a collection of live shows on the Cairo Opera House and cultural facilities, jazz music gained recognition in Egypt.
Khalil began mixing oriental music and jazz, creating a singular fusion that was admired by the plenty in Egypt and in addition overseas.
“The viewers loves it once I put this distinctive spin on outdated folkloric songs from Umm Kalthoum and Wadea El Safi and others,” Khalil famous.
In 2009, Egyptian pianist, composer and producer Amr Salah based the Cairo Jazz Competition (CJF). The annual occasion celebrates jazz music in Egypt and cultural trade, with musicians and artists from everywhere in the world.
For 9 days beginning Oct. 28, jazz music followers will benefit from the thirteenth version of the Cairo Jazz Competition that can happen on the American University’s Tahrir Campus, in downtown Cairo.
“The Cairo Jazz Competition goals to unfold jazz and helps it attain extra folks — not solely as a music style, however as a life expertise with its concepts, freedom of expression and innovation,” Salah informed Al-Monitor.
He mentioned, “Jazz music is totally different from different music genres for its improvisation state that excites each musicians and the viewers.”
The thirteenth version of the competition will characteristic distinguished Egyptian musicians, together with El Dor El Awal, Mohamed Abo Zekry Undertaking, Samer George Quartet, Tarek Raouf Ensemble and Bahaa El-Dahabi Quintet, Otaak Band and Soul Trains.
The most effective of the world’s jazz musicians will play at this yr’s competition — 20 bands and 95 musicians from america, Germany, Austria, Portugal, the Netherlands, Sudan, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Denmark and Egypt.
The present version additionally witnesses the return of cultural cooperation between the competition and america, because it hosts for the primary time three American bands: ICX Jazz Ensemble and the AJOYO group, along with American artist of Egyptian origin Ayman Fanous, who will play with the well-known American cellist Frances-Marie Uitti.
The competition isn’t restricted to musical performances; a variety of totally different occasions similar to workshops, exhibitions and documentaries have been organized as a way to enrich the Egyptian cultural scene and enhance the societal consciousness of music basically.
“The competition organizes pictures exhibitions, opinions the historical past of jazz and presents a particular lecture on the historical past of jazz in worldwide diplomacy, offered by James Ketterer, dean of the School of Persevering with Training on the American College,” Salah mentioned.
The CJF repeats its annual custom in cooperation with the Bandmakers Music Academy, which presents a jazz program for the youth, titled Jazzinino. The youth program goals to introduce kids and youth to jazz music by interacting with artists throughout workshops and group taking part in.
Jazzinino supplies a chance to current younger musical expertise to the general public.
As a part of its endeavor to unfold the tradition of jazz music and current it to the Egyptian public on a big scale, the competition will display screen two documentaries. The primary movie is in regards to the lifetime of well-known American pianist Dave Brubeck, one of many pioneers of jazz music. The second movie opinions the tales of the battle and struggling of 4 of probably the most well-known American jazz singers throughout their careers, and the racism they have been subjected to of their lives.
“This yr we are going to maintain live shows in lots of locations that by no means hosted jazz performances earlier than, such because the governorates of Kafr El-Sheikh, Qena and Menyia,” Salah mentioned.
He added, “CJF permits jazz to cross borders and transcend its origin. Jazz is a fusion of human experiences that has all the time absorbed different cultures and concepts, artists, artwork tasks and music kinds.”
US jazz musician Miguel Merino informed Al-Monitor, “I’m so excited to attend a few of the workshops that shall be held throughout the competition. I’m additionally all for attending the free improvisation by musician Ayman Fanous and a number of other different performances.”
He mentioned, “I’ll carry out twice — on the competition’s opening with Egyptian jazz singer Noha Fekry, and on the ultimate day, Nov. 5, I shall be taking part in folkloric songs on the semsemya [stringed instrument] and hand drums with my very own band Otaak.”
Shaimaa Ismail, a dressmaker, informed Al-Monitor, “I can’t look forward to the competition to begin. This occasion is phenomenal for anybody who enjoys music from everywhere in the world. It supplies an opportunity to attend performances from totally different cultural backgrounds.”
