Musicians of the Nile

by Craig Harris
The Musicians of the Nile have shared the musical traditions of the Sudan with international audiences for more than a quarter of a century. The group continues to weave a sound that Mojo described as "one hundred years of Egyptian spirituality in one neat package," and has been toasted by such jazz/avant-garde musicians as Keith Jarrett and the late Sun Ra. A concert by the Musicians of the Nile was described by Run Productions as "the shrill of the mizmar, the abrupt narrative voice, the incisive rhythm of the tabla, the modal melancholy of the arghul, transforming the stage into a village feast."
Formed in the Egyptian city of Abu-al-Djud (now Luxor), the Musicians of the Nile reflect the singing tradition of Egypt's gypsy families. Their first steps toward global success were taken after they caught the attention of ethno-musicologist Alain Weber, who agreed to become their manager. With his support, the band began to tour throughout Europe. Their performance at the first WOMAD Festival (World of Music and Dance Festival) in 1983 led to the band being signed by Peter Gabriel's RealWorld-Caroline record label and their guest appearance on Gabriel's album Passion. The Musicians of the Nile appeared at the Gypsy Festival in Florence in 1991 and the Gypsy Festival in Lucerne in 1995.