Top lineup of international stars set for Cairo Jazz Festival
Top musicians from around the world are tuning up for the start of this year’s popular Cairo Jazz Festival.
The event, being staged at The American University in Cairo’s (AUC) Tahrir Cultural Center from Oct. 10-12, will celebrate its 11th edition with an exciting lineup of stars from nine different countries. Festivalgoers will be able to watch movie screenings, musical shows, and jazz concerts for all ages.
Headline acts will include the Fischermanns Orchestra from Switzerland, award-winning Dutch drummer Lucas van Merwijk, Netherlands-based Artvark Saxophone Quartet and Arab artists such as Jordanian musician Aziz Maraka, Egyptian band The Gypsy Jazz Project, and rock group Wust El-Balad.
Fischermanns Orchestra is always on the move, musically free and footloose, drawing upon many different cultural influences and inspiration to form its own distinctive sound. In 2014, the group was honored with the Lucerne Jazz Award.
Merwijk has been at the forefront of the European jazz and percussion scene for more than 25 years. He teaches at the conservatories of Rotterdam and Amsterdam and gives workshops, master classes and lessons throughout Europe and America. The Artvark Saxophone Quartet has made remarkable collaborations with American jazz legend Peter Erskine, Senegalese drummer Doudou Rose and Danish rock band Efterklang. Jordanian music composer, songwriter, singer and producer Maraka is expected to sing some of his popular jazz hits. Maraka is known for his eclecticism, with music ranging from acoustic piano and violin combinations to purely electronic tracks.
Cairo-based band The Gypsy Jazz Project will perform pieces influenced by the melodies of Belgian guitarist Django Reinhardt and French violinist Stephane Grappelli. Meanwhile, Wust El-Balad’s tracks produce an astonishing blend of sounds, combining traditional Arabic music with a Western twist.
The festival will also offer opportunities for children with several workshops and master classes aimed at providing an introduction to the art of jazz and its storied history.
While most of the events will take place at the AUC, there will be fringe concerts and activities happening around the city, including the Cairo Jazz Club.