Friday March 29th, 2024
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Ibrahim Maalouf to Serenade Women at the Pyramids

One of the world's greatest trumpeters is teaming up with Sawt Music and will be gracing our city with a performance at the foot of Great Pyramid of Giza this March. Unless you have the worst taste in music, you have absolutely no excuse to miss this.

Staff Writer

Ibrahim Maalouf to Serenade Women at the Pyramids

Diamonds are not a girl’s best friend, Jazz is. By the end of World War I, women were ready to shed their traditional roles as mothers and daughters, and take on the broader functions of human beings. They found refuge in dance halls and Jazz clubs, where their rebellion was embraced rather than scorned.

Therefore, it is only fitting that the world’s greatest trumpeter and teacher, composer, and arranger, Ibrahim Maalouf, and music production and management agency Sawt Music, come together to celebrate women’s contributions to the world. The Red & Black Light project – a tribute to today’s women – will see the French-Lebanese contemporary Jazz virtuoso record his latest album at the foot of the Great Pyramid of Giza on March 19th, 2016.   

Ibrahim Maalouf has released two albums to honour women, Kalthoum and Red & Black Light. He described Kalthoum as "a celebration of women who have changed the course of history and whose artistic influence is still seen today." He chose the Star of the East because she is the most endurable and influential figure of Arab history, "she is the voice I have heard the most ever since childhood."  

This is not the first time Sawt has brought this kind of talent to Egypt; in 2015, they managed to lure uber-talented Algerian singer and songwriter Souad Massi to Uptown Cairo. "It is not just about music to us; it is about music with value," Sawt's Ahmad Abu Shady tells us. Sawt has made it their mission to shed a light on authentic music and support independent musicians. Their endeavours have seen them sign artists like Ibn Arabi, Ghalia Banali, Trio Khalifa, Rim Banna, Tania Saleh, and Cairo Steps. Not too shabby, huh? But, even so, Ibrahim Maalouf is a huge leap! "It was a dream, really; it actually took us a year and half to make it happen. Even though he has always wanted to play in Egypt – it actually means a lot to him – he had concerns because he wanted everything to be perfect," Abu Shady explains. However, when it finally did happen, they had to make it worth his and their while, hence holding the concert at the cradle of the Arab world's civilisation: the illustrious pyramids of Giza!  

So basically, unless you have the worst taste in music, you have absolutely no excuse to miss this.

Find out more about the event here.

If you're unfamiliar with the Jazz legend, find him on Soundcloud. You can also find Sawt Music on Facebook here.