Cairo Jazz Festival kicks off
Jazz music fans in Egypt are about to enjoy the 13th edition of the Cairo Jazz Festival, which will take place from Oct. 28 to Nov. 5 at the American University's Tahrir Campus in Cairo.
Originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, United States, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, jazz music has spread its influence around the globe. Today, in Egypt, the number of Egyptian jazz musicians is steadily growing.
The past decade has witnessed the emergence of many jazz bands in Egypt, such as Cairokee, Massar Egbari, El Dor El Awal and Cairo Steps. These bands have achieved great success and participated in many international festivals and events.
Jazz music in Egypt is usually linked to the name of Yehia Khalil, who is considered one of Egypt's jazz pioneers and who invented "oriental jazz."
“Jazz is different than any other music genre; it reaches directly to the soul,” Khalil told Al-Monitor.
