On Friday, a large crowd gathered at the GrEEK Campus in Downtown Cairo waiting for the concert of the critically acclaimed Lebanese musician Tarek Yamani. This was the second concert in the music segment of the ongoing Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival (D-CAF, 8-29 March). The first segment of the festival and its opening act celebrated women through a concert held at Al-Azhar Park on 9 March and that featured Moroccan diva Samira Said, Pink Oculus from The Netherlands, elbi from France and Shahira Welnas Elkhatira from Egypt. The 16 March concert gave GrEEK Campus's stage to Yamani, whose music is "full of poetry and mysticism," as promotional material put it. "Tarek Yamani explores classical Arabic music and revisits the traditions of the Khaleeji region through the complex rhythms and harmonies of African-American jazz." Performing on piano and quarter tone keyboard, Yamani was accompanied by Elie Afif on accoustic bass, Yassine on drums and Saifeddine Helal on percussions. Yamani's concert was followed by other musicians taking the stage, Out Of Nations from Germany, performing alt-world music, and an Egyptian group El-Sawareekh representing the mahraganat genre. The upcoming and last component of D-CAF's music segment will take place on 22 March at GrEEK Campus featuring Lebanese/French Bachar Mar-Khalifé, Bit-Tuner (Switzerland), Andro El-Hawy, EL-Sweasy, Teklife (USA), Islam Chipsy and Sadat. Check the D-CAF's complete programme here. Lebanese Tarek Yamani performs in Cairo on 16 March 2018. (Photo: Bassam Al Zoghby) Lebanese Tarek Yamani performs in Cairo on 16 March 2018. (Photo: Bassam Al Zoghby) Lebanese Tarek Yamani performs in Cairo on 16 March 2018. (Photo: Bassam Al Zoghby) Lebanese Tarek Yamani performs in Cairo on 16 March 2018. (Photo: Bassam Al Zoghby) Lebanese Tarek Yamani performs in Cairo on 16 March 2018. (Photo: Bassam Al Zoghby) For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture
