A day of Egyptian music and dance
Music melody
During the inaugural ceremony of the Egyptian cultural week celebrated at Kamani Auditorium recently, Eftekasat Jazz Group literally brought down Egypt to the City. 
The group was formed in 2002 and in 2006 they released their first album Mouled Sidi El Latini, (The Latin Dervish) that reached the second position in the Virgin Mega Stores sales charts during five successive weeks competing along with local pop music. In 2010 they released their second album, Dandasha.
After their mesmerising performance Mohamed Medhat, the violinist said, “It is an honour to come here and perform in front of such an esteemed audience. It felt really nice. India is a great country and we would like to come here again and give our performance for all the music lovers.”
He also added that the musical scene in India is changing. “India had a pop culture and the musical scenario is changing here gradually, it’s progressive,” he added.
Cairo-based Amro Salah, who heads the Eftekasat Jazz Group describes his music as the new sound of Egypt. Amro who also plays the keyboards and piano said, “The mainstream musical cultures of India and Egypt are very similar. India also has a pop culture like us. Jazz is approached by a very limited audience and it is gradually making its presence felt.”
Amro also added, “India has a great variety of musicians who are very famous all over the world. Zakir Hussain is one such musician, he plays great tabla. We are happy to have come here.”
Eftekasat is known to be one of the few Egyptian bands that has managed to globalise local music.
Their unique style can be classified as oriental jazz/fusion/jazz rock and world music as they attempt to find an unorthodox dimension for oriental musical through a fusion with other musical styles ranging among Balkan, North African, Latin and jazz.
The band consists of seven members: Amro Salah on piano and keyboards, Samer George on bass guitar, Ahmad Hesham on drums, Ousso on electric guitar, Mohamed Medhat on violin, Laith Suleiman on nay and kawala (flutes) and Hany Bedair on percussion.
Eftekasat had been the winner of the Culture Resource Award (2005). The band have also won the Arab World of Culture and Arts Award (2009). The group is also acclaimed to be one of the few Egyptian bands that have made it on the international scene with their unique fusion between jazz and world music with various exotic flavours from Balkans, Arabic, Middle-East and North Africa.
