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Badra
Oud Maniac
Posts: 99
Registered: 2-26-2006
Location: NW USA
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
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Going to Cairo
Wow, what a great resource this website has become!
I'm really excited to be going to Cairo this June for my first time. Going oud shopping is top priority. I'm definitely going to pay Mr. Shehata's
shop a visit. Also, I want to visit Farid's grave site. Does anyone know where it is located exactly?
Also, anyone have any tips on where to catch really good live arabic ensemble music?
Thanks,
Fareed
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Mike
Super Administrator
Posts: 1568
Registered: 12-3-2002
Location: California, USA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Happy
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Try checking out what is going on at the Cairo Opera House in Zamalek. If you're lucky, the Cairo Orchestra will be performing when you're visiting.
Ask Mo when you see him about possibilities as well.
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John Erlich
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1463
Registered: 8-26-2004
Location: California, USA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Oud-Obsessed
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Hi Fareed,
When I was in Cairo in 2000, I had fun shopping and browsing in the huge Khan Khalili bazaar. (In fact I still have dreams about it!) Three cool
music-related things I experienced there:
1) Naguib Mahfouz Cafe (photo: http://www.touregyptphotos.com/showphoto.php?photo=285&password... ) I actually sat in the less fancy small front area where they had live music (qanoun/riqq and oud/voice w/riqq sets).
2) Outdoor cafes in the big square outside Khan Khalili (Al-Azhar Sq., if I remember correctly) where groups of young men sat out at night playing oud
and percussion and singing old songs.
3) A small cassette shop on the left side just inside one of the entrances off the big square (see above). They had a wide selection in their jumble
of a stall and sold me an obscure recording of amazing Saidi music.
Here is a link to a map of Khan Khalili souq area: http://www.faculty.sbc.edu/lrainville/SBC/Cairo_KhanalKhalili.html
There is also a street near the center of Cairo (I forget the name) that has a number cassette/CD shops. Ask the locals. I bought a 8-tape Riad El
Soumbati retrospective in one of those shops, which seemed to sell a bit more "art" music than most stores.
Bon voyage!
All the best,
John
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Mike
Super Administrator
Posts: 1568
Registered: 12-3-2002
Location: California, USA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Happy
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Hey John,
Everything you mentioned is right on...especially number 2. Hey, did you ever buy a fez from the old dude that walks around selling them there? He is
there every single time I go to Khan el Khalili. I love that guy. We always take pictures with him after we buy our fezzes.
Take care,
Mike
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stringmanca
Oud Junkie
Posts: 224
Registered: 8-4-2005
Location: Martinez, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Oud Moud
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We're hoping to go in November to catch the Arabic Music Festival, but are having trouble finding out what the festival dates are this year. If
anyone has insider info at the Opera House, please let me know! They only have the schedule through this month up on their Web site so far.
Thanks,
Nathan
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stringmanca
Oud Junkie
Posts: 224
Registered: 8-4-2005
Location: Martinez, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Oud Moud
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Update:
I've heard from a couple of different sources that the Arabic Music Festival dates are November 1 - 10 this year. Hope to see you there!
Nathan
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jshead
Oud Junkie
Posts: 101
Registered: 10-2-2005
Member Is Offline
Mood: Peace
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There is also a performance space on gomorea street. I will need to check the name. Smaller group. Often a singer/riq, oud trio play at the
Kerbobke restaurant the Shereton in gazira.
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stringmanca
Oud Junkie
Posts: 224
Registered: 8-4-2005
Location: Martinez, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Oud Moud
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The Cairo Opera House kindly sent me a fax of the Arabic Music Festival schedule, but it's in Arabic and not a very clear copy. Sorry for the poor
quality - it's a scan of a bad fax! Can anyone make anything out? We're leaving next Thursday (the 26th) - can't wait! Anything look especially
good and not-to-be-missed?
Also, I've seen this question come up several times with no specific answer - what part of town is the Shehata shop (Al-Aseel) in? I've got the
address but I haven't been able to locate in on a street map.
Thanks,
Nathan
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stringmanca
Oud Junkie
Posts: 224
Registered: 8-4-2005
Location: Martinez, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Oud Moud
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Oops - forgot the link! Here it is:
http://www.alazifoon.com/amf15sched.pdf
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John Erlich
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1463
Registered: 8-26-2004
Location: California, USA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Oud-Obsessed
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Hi Nathan,
Oy, ayyouni! You could go blind, already!
Here is the info on Mourice Shehata's shop. I actually called him from my hotel. He met me at my hotel (surprisingly punctual, too!) and drove me
to his shop in the Hadayek El Koba area, which is north (northeast?) from the center of Cairo. Afterward, he dropped me off at the metro station.
Al-Aseel
80 Masr we El Sudan St. ,
Hadayek El Kobba,
Cairo, Egypt .
Telephone
+2 02 682 5603
Mobile
+2 010 145 8525
Fax
+2 02 652 5441
+2 02 652 5442
info@mauriceouds.com
My advice for Cairo and shlepping: Unless it's rush hour, more taxi trips, less on foot. I nearly plotzed trying to carry my new Shehata oud in the
"trunk case."
Bon voyage!
Best,
Udi John
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stringmanca
Oud Junkie
Posts: 224
Registered: 8-4-2005
Location: Martinez, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Oud Moud
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Thanks, John!
For future reference, here's a real estate map that shows where the Hadayek El Koba area is. If you click on a district, it takes you to a map
(street names are in Arabic). You can right-click on the map to zoom in and out or print (prints a full-size page).
http://www.aclassegypt.com/maps/index.asp
We were able to get enough of the schedule translated to find out who was playing when. Looks like the big star is Hani Shaker on the final night.
No solo oudists, but Maged Serour will be doing a kanun concert.
Nathan
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billkilpatrick
Oud Junkie
Posts: 563
Registered: 1-3-2004
Location: italy
Member Is Offline
Mood: what?
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badra -
man, i wish i were going as well ...
if, in your travels, you happen to meet a luthier named mourad el turki, please tell him there's someone in italy with one of his instruments who
wishes him well on a daily basis.
- bill
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stringmanca
Oud Junkie
Posts: 224
Registered: 8-4-2005
Location: Martinez, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Oud Moud
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Bill,
I wish we had time to visit Italy!
If I see Mourad El Turki, I'll tell him hello for you - do you know where his shop is?
Nathan
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Hosam
Oud Junkie
Posts: 180
Registered: 12-6-2005
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
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Murad Al-Turki has a small shop off the Mohammed Ali street in the old part of the city "Al Qala". His ouds will be available on many musical shops in
the same street. I have two of his ouds and I really love the sound of both. Good luck!
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Marina
Oud Junkie
Posts: 615
Registered: 9-1-2005
Location: Bosnia
Member Is Offline
Mood: Enthusiastic
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If anybody will be at Arabic music festival, in Cairo Opera House, I'll be there for the concert at 09.11. , 20:00 hours, to listen to Michael Maroun.
So, I'll be glad to see somebody from the forum. ;-) You can recognise me as tipical, thin, light hair European women - that plays oud. Ha, ha, ha!
See you!  )
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stringmanca
Oud Junkie
Posts: 224
Registered: 8-4-2005
Location: Martinez, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Oud Moud
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We're planning to be there, Marina. Hope to see you!
Four of us will be going (Sarah, Nathan, Yosifah and Zaid) - here's what we look like:
http://www.alazifoon.com
Enjoy your trip!
Nathan
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Marina
Oud Junkie
Posts: 615
Registered: 9-1-2005
Location: Bosnia
Member Is Offline
Mood: Enthusiastic
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Nathan,
I saw the site & picture, I ll find you!
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billkilpatrick
Oud Junkie
Posts: 563
Registered: 1-3-2004
Location: italy
Member Is Offline
Mood: what?
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Marina
Nathan,
I saw the site & picture ...
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me too.
watch yourself, marina ...
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stringmanca
Oud Junkie
Posts: 224
Registered: 8-4-2005
Location: Martinez, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Oud Moud
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Zaid's the single one...
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Marina
Oud Junkie
Posts: 615
Registered: 9-1-2005
Location: Bosnia
Member Is Offline
Mood: Enthusiastic
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Hi!
I was there, in Cairo Opera House, but did not see you! 
Anyway, Cairo is the most beautiful city! I had such a nice time in Egypt, great country! I hope to come again & buy ouds, ouds, ouds.
I visited Al Aseel - Morice, one of my friends bought his good quality oud. My friend is very happy with the purchase. I saw the oud that he is making
for, I think Bruno - somebody from Scandinavia? The oud with dark face and very delicate shamsia. It's very beautiful.
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stringmanca
Oud Junkie
Posts: 224
Registered: 8-4-2005
Location: Martinez, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Oud Moud
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Sorry, Marina, we could not get tickets for either Thursday or Friday night, so I missed you. We went to 5 of the previous nights, though (Nov. 3,
5-8), and really enjoyed the festival. The Opera House is beautiful and the music was outstanding. Not much oud, though. There was one in the
orchestra, but he didn't get much solo space and was mostly inaudible. The qanun and riqq players were great, though!
We went to a performance at the Culture Wheel that we really enjoyed by Ahmed Wahdan. Does anyone know anything about him?
I didn't make it to Al Aseel, although I think I figured out where it was on the map. I didn't have the budget for one of Maurice's ouds so I
couldn't justify a trip to his shop just to look. Next time!
We went to the Gawaret El Fan shop on Muhammed Ali Street to buy some drums and I also picked up an inexpensive oud from him.
We enjoyed Cairo, except for the traffic! Sorry we missed each other!
Nathan
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stringmanca
Oud Junkie
Posts: 224
Registered: 8-4-2005
Location: Martinez, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Oud Moud
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Oud and drums:
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oudplayer
Oud Junkie
Posts: 849
Registered: 5-9-2004
Location: new jersey/ Israel
Member Is Offline
Mood: ouds up
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hey nat
hows it goin ???
what kind of oud is that looks very nice.
i love black on ouds. the best i have seen is ebony and bone oud it was awesome the oud was very heavy. if i find a pic i will post it i have it
somewhere.
the peg box the ribs and finger board was ebony and the pegs and shams were bone and the face was like dark dark dark ceder i think . but it was out
standing .
thx sammy
we are lost camels in the desert and wanna find our way to water and the water is in aden
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stringmanca
Oud Junkie
Posts: 224
Registered: 8-4-2005
Location: Martinez, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Oud Moud
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I was told that it was ebony, but the wood is very thin and the oud is very light. I'm not sure what the lighter colored wood is. Here's the shop's
Web site, but I don't see this particular oud on it:
http://www.gawhara.com.eg/eastern.html
I have seen similar designs on this forum, so I'll have to do some hunting...
The proprieter, Nasser, was very nice. We spent an afternoon at his shop, Gawaret El Fan, trying out drums. Once we had picked out drums, drunk tea
and had a bit of their fish dinner, he took us up to their warehouse and we talked ouds and drank more tea. He told us that their factory makes both
the ouds and drums, so I'm not sure who the actual designer/maker is.
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stringmanca
Oud Junkie
Posts: 224
Registered: 8-4-2005
Location: Martinez, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Oud Moud
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Here's the back - sorry it's a bit fuzzy!
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