Egypt: Music from the Nile
Egypt’s music overpowers its listeners, so much so that we return to hear more unique sounds from this ancient land.
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Next Music Station is an odyssey through the rhythms of the Arab world.
A year in production, with nine countries visited and more than 80 musicians interviewed, this series by musician and documentary filmmaker Fermin Muguruza paints a ‘soundscape’ of the Arab music scene.
From Morocco to the Gulf, Next Music Station takes us on a journey, exploring the music of different Arab countries, en route addressing issues of tradition and modernity, the struggles of the present and the yearning for a brighter future.
In the final episode of the series, Next Music Station returns to Egypt.
Travelling along the route of the Nile, the journey starts in Aswan, meanders through Luxor and Assiout, where we get an insight into a Sufi ceremony, through Cairo and ending at Port Said on the Mediterranean coast.
| Meet the musicians |
Sufi music showcases the spiritual dynamics of Islam. Ahmed el-Touni is a Sufi singer, devoted to passing on the message of Islam through his mystical chants honouring the tradition of Sufi singers before him. |
Ahmed el-Maghraby works at an art centre which aims to preserve traditional music and culture while guaranteeing the development of a tradition in action. |
Umm Sameh is a Zar singer. Zar is an old ritual healing ceremony which uses music as an enhancer of the therapeutic trance. |
Massar Egbari define their style as a combination of rock, jazz and eastern rhythms. The way they look at the world is critical and they identify their music with Egypt and particularly with Alexandria, the place where the sea brings new life to the earth. |
El-Tanbura is a band made up of a group of experienced musicians from Port Said. They are trying to revive traditional music from northern Egypt. |
Next Music Station airs at the following times GMT each week: Tuesday: 2000; Wednesday: 1200; Thursday: 0100; Friday: 0600; Saturday: 2000; Sunday: 1200; Monday: 0100; Tuesday: 0600. |
