MUSICIANS OF THE NILE

The fact that Romanies live in Egypt and the Arab countries of the Near East is not very well known in the West, despite their large numbers. In the Egyptian countryside, however, their ethnic specificity is easily recognized, as the many Romany families and clans living there maintain their own legends and distinctive language. Undoubtedly the most famous representatives of these people are The Musicians of the Nile, a group of celebrated artists who are the guardians of the musical tradition of Upper Egypt. The group was way ahead of the current new wave of interest in ethnic and world music in Europe, becoming the first widely-acknowledged ensemble of its kind. Often imitated and even plagiarized, they remain a unique phenomenon in Arabic music. (Those who attended the first Respect Festival in 1998 will remember The Musicians of the Nile from Tony Gatlif’s film "Latcho Drom".) Over the past 15 years The Musicians of the Nile have toured the entire globe, carrying their ancestral legacy to distant cities and cultures.

Since their appearance at the Chateauvallon Festival in 1975, where they met with outstanding jazz musicians like Sun Ra (that god from another Egypt), they have been keeping up with contemporary trends in music as well. Yet it was their 1983 appearance at the Womad Festival that made them a legend. The festival’s organizer, Peter Gabriel, subsequently featured The Musicians of the Nile on his album "Passion", which first brought world music to the attention of the general public.

Like Taraf de Haidouks, Musafir or Kočani Orkestar, The Musicians of the Nile are among the best and most popular inheritors of the rich tradition of Romany music.