Egypt PM, Japan's JBIC head explore deeper cooperation    Egyptian pound wavers vs. USD in early trade    SCZONE showcases investment opportunities to eight Japanese companies    Egypt urges Israel to accept Gaza deal amid intensifying fighting    Egypt, ADIB explore strategic partnership in digital healthcare, investment    Egypt's PM meets Tokyo governor, witnesses signing of education agreements    Egypt welcomes international efforts for peace in Ukraine    Al-Sisi, Macron reaffirm strategic partnership, coordinate on Gaza crisis    Egypt's Sisi, France's Macron discuss Gaza ceasefire efforts in phone call    Contact Reports Strong 1H-2025 on Financing, Insurance Gains    Egypt, India's BDR Group in talks to establish biologics, cancer drug facility    AUC graduates first cohort of film industry business certificate    Egypt to tighten waste rules, cut rice straw fees to curb pollution    Egypt prepares unified stance ahead of COP30 in Brazil    Egypt recovers collection of ancient artefacts from Netherlands    Egypt harvests 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater in Sinai as part of flash flood protection measures    Egypt, Namibia explore closer pharmaceutical cooperation    Fitch Ratings: ASEAN Islamic finance set to surpass $1t by 2026-end    Renowned Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim dies at 88    Egyptian, Ugandan Presidents open business forum to boost trade    Al-Sisi says any party thinking Egypt will neglect water rights is 'completely mistaken'    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile measures, reaffirms Egypt's water security stance    Egypt's Sisi, Uganda's Museveni discuss boosting ties    Egypt, Huawei explore healthcare digital transformation cooperation    Egypt's Sisi, Sudan's Idris discuss strategic ties, stability    Egypt to inaugurate Grand Egyptian Museum on 1 November    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Naseer Shamma stirs fans at album relaunch
Published in Daily News Egypt on 29 - 12 - 2008

Last week, a few fortunate Cairenes received an early Christmas gift. Diwan bookstores organized two consecutive events to celebrate the relaunch of Iraqi oud player Naseer Shamma's albums "Ard Al Sawad (Land of Darkness) and "Ishraq (Sunrise) and "Rahil Al Qamar (Departure of the Moon), allowing his fans the chance to get up close and personal with the luminary composer.
"He is unique; he re-introduced classic oud playing, said Ziad Bahaaeddin, one of Diwan's owners. "His big project 'Beit El Oud' is not just a school but a method of preserving what could be lost, renewing it and modernizing it so this form of art becomes available and not just something that belongs in a museum.
Despite his enormous popularity across the region, most of Shamma's albums were produced outside the Arab world.
"Arab producers are not concerned about music, they only focus on songs, thinking that sells more, Shamma explained. "In fact, music sells for a longer term, while songs are seasonal and only sell for a few months. My album 'Baghdad's Lute,' for example, has held the highest price in the Institute of the Arab World in Paris since 1994. It sells for ? 23 while other CDs are now sold for ? 5.
Before he introduced his new song "Bein Al Forat wa Al Nile (Between the Euphrates and the Nile), Shamma discussed the close connection between Egypt and Iraq, saying both countries were home to civilizations more than 5,000 years old, which "have provided the means and thoughts of today's life.
"Mr Naseer is a veteran artist. He always communicates new ideas, such as today's idea of Egypt and Iraq's joint history. It's more than just attending an event, there is a cultural, social and educational benefit to it, commented Siham El Seraty, one of the attendees at the event.
Throughout the past eight years, Shamma's sold-out concerts have developed into a creative stage to invoke new ideas or introduce novel experiments that have left the audience invigorated, attracting one of the largest cult followings in Egypt's music scene.
A master of the instrument he eloquently plays, Shamma has followed the manuscript of music theorist Ibn Farabi to structure an eight-string oud, spreading out the instrument's musical range. He also embraced a new method of playing oud with one hand.
And his passion for the oud is contagious; his audiences are usually trapped with fondness and a flagrant enthusiasm for his performances. But he doesn't give himself due credit for conserving the oud and attracting a younger audience through his excitment; instead he emphasizes that the instrument itself remains a major attraction. "The oud was able to preserve itself from 2350 BC, as a number one instrument, Shamma said.
The Cairo-based Iraqi artist, however, thinks highly of Egypt and is passionate about the country. "Any artwork bears fruit in Egypt. As it has the tradition and the icons who helped people develop a collective taste, Shamma said.
The biggest testament to Shamma's accomplishment is "Beit Al Oud Al Arabi . Founded by Shamma in 1998 at Beit Al Harrawy, the place became a platform for oriental music and a starting point for a range of musicians. "Beit El Oud is a real house, a family that has students from all over the world and not just an academy, said Abtesam Shabayek, a former graduate and a tutor at Beit El Oud.
Under his supervision, several talents were discovered and many masterpieces were produced.
"I have always respected how Mr Shamma values the song and adores his choice of words, said Ali Al Ward, a new singer who will be collaborating soon with Shamma.
Shamma has also formed Al-Oyoun ensemble with the aim of introducing a new form of Arabic Orchestra (Al-Takht) based fundamentally on improvisation.
On the humanitarian side, the musician donated a sum of money for 2,200 Iraqi children deprived of education. "As a nation, our lives need to be balanced. We need social security so that the human being can think of beauty. Beauty doesn't exits except in a fulfilled environment, he said.
Next year an album is slated for release including several compositions that have debuted in previous concerts to great acclaim such as "Al Ard (The Land).
For the past five years, Shamma has been celebrating the New Year with his audience and this year is no exception. Tomorrow night at 10 pm, Shamma will perform at the Sawy Cultural Wheel, ending the year with another performance that will surely dazzle his fans.


Clic here to read the story from its source.