The audience of hundreds packing the Wisdom Hall at El Sawy Culturewheel on Sunday evening had come to hear one of Egypt’s, the Arab region’s, and the world’s truly great oud players, Hazem Shaheen.
Marking his return to the Cairo International Jazz Festival/CJF, after a break of more than a decade, festival organizer Amro Salah was profuse in his thanks as he introduced Shaheen. He noted that his presence was a significant addition to the festival's line-up of more than 100 performers from a dozen countries.
Salah, clutching a sheaf of papers, alluded to the richness of Shaheen’s musical biography without diving into a wealth of detail. He did highlight the master oudist’s appearance at the Arab Music Festival and how he has acted as an avenue to the late Lebanese musician Ziad Rahbani, a focus for this year’s edition of CJF.
Shaheen is known both as a virtuoso oud soloist, playing more traditional forms of Arabic music, and as a performer with other musicians in a fusion of eastern and western styles.
Sunday’s performance was mostly in the latter mode, and the broad stage of the hall was occupied by pianist Sherif Mostafa, sax and clarinet player Nour Ashour, violinist Ahmed Darwish, Tarek Hossam on electric guitar, and Azima on percussion, along with the star of the show.
The ensemble performed a set of three parts. The opening three numbers, Majnoun Omnia, Al-Nida Al-Akheer, and Kullu Tamam (working title) showpieced the sax of Ashour, with his playful roaming up and down the scales and blasts of sound reminiscent of Miles Davis. The pieces perhaps hinted at love stories, the agitation, and agony of passion coming through the oud.
The audience were never slow to show their appreciation of a solo display or rapid or unexpected transition. The mixed crowd of Shaheen fans and jazz lovers, young and old, did not stint in their applause and whoops of delight.
Hazem Shaheen and Ziad RahbaniThe second act turned to Ziad Rahbani, with whom Shaheen developed a close personal and professional relationship over the last few years, with Rahbani producing Shaheen’s latest album Zekr. In reference to Rahbani’s death in July, Shaheen said, “What happened, happened. Now we play his songs.” Clearly holding back his emotions, he added that there was much to say, but he couldn’t speak. Rahbani’s “around all the time,” he concluded.
Two singers and an accordionist joined on stage and Shaheen led the singing of three songs from Rahbani’s repertoire, most memorably, Shou Hal Ayyam—“What are these times we’ve come to, they say a rich man gives to the poor.”
Shaheen sung in his powerful bass voice while hammering the strings of his oud with the plectrum. Defiance mixed with loss for his friend Ziad and for the loss of dreams of change, perhaps. Shaheen is no longer based in Egypt, and his support for the 2011 revolution, manifest in the many concerts his band Eskandrella played in Tahrir Square, may have played a part in his decision to move.
The final act of the performance gave a chance to violinist Ahmed Darwish (the great-grandson of music legend Sayed Darwish) to shine alongside Shaheen as they played Raqset El-Souq and Zekr, both tracks on his new album, Zekr.
The concert ended, but the image of Shaheen’s hands dominating the oud will not be forgotten. At times his left hand on the instrument’s neck seemed to have six fingers and the right hand blurred, so fast it was moving as it plucked the strings.
Currently based in Riyadh, Shaheen teaches at the prestigious Arab Oud House, carrying forward his passion for preserving and innovating the legacy of the oud.
