Fathy Salama
Encyclopedia
Fathy Salama is an Egyptian
musician who was born in Cairo
, Egypt
. He grew up listening to the radio, which played artists who placed a deep influence upon him, his childhood influences were musicians Umm Kulthum, Mohammed Abdel Wahab
and Farid El Atrache.
These artists influenced him so much that he decided to get involved with music, he then started to create his own versatile type music, from playing the piano
from the age of six this made an excellent start and was followed by gigging in Cairo clubs from the age of thirteen. Soon the child of Shobra,'Compton of Cairo', made visits to Europe
and to New York
to learn Jazz
with such great artists as Barry Harris
, Sun Ra
, Roman Bunka
, Malik Osman, Hal Galper
, Ossman Kareem and Pat Patrick.
He progressed to making plenty of hits in Cairo during the 80's, he has been touring the world and he has won two prizes for his film sound tracks for Fallen Angels Paradise's and Signs Of April, it is with Sharkiat (his own group) that Fathy is making his dreams come true of merging modern and traditional music together, thus expressing both a message from his home country and his love of music.
His music reflects his experience from the Orient and from Europe. His "success" on the music industry plays a secondary role ; first and foremost he wants to be understood, and so he works tirelessly on this bridge linking traditional and modern music from the Orient.
Fathy has collaborated in electronic music with Kouchari or his meeting with Alix Roy, and sacred music with Egypt
, the successful Youssou N'Dour
album (Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music Album and BBC Award).
Egyptians
Egyptians are nation an ethnic group made up of Mediterranean North Africans, the indigenous people of Egypt.Egyptian identity is closely tied to geography. The population of Egypt is concentrated in the lower Nile Valley, the small strip of cultivable land stretching from the First Cataract to...
musician who was born in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. He grew up listening to the radio, which played artists who placed a deep influence upon him, his childhood influences were musicians Umm Kulthum, Mohammed Abdel Wahab
Mohammed Abdel Wahab
Mohammed Abdel Wahab , also transliterated Mohammed Abd el-Wahaab was a prominent 20th-century Arab Egyptian singer and composer...
and Farid El Atrache.
These artists influenced him so much that he decided to get involved with music, he then started to create his own versatile type music, from playing the piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
from the age of six this made an excellent start and was followed by gigging in Cairo clubs from the age of thirteen. Soon the child of Shobra,'Compton of Cairo', made visits to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to learn Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
with such great artists as Barry Harris
Barry Harris
Barry Doyle Harris is an American bebop jazz pianist and educator.-Biography:Harris left Detroit for New York City in 1960...
, Sun Ra
Sun Ra
Sun Ra was a prolific jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, poet and philosopher known for his "cosmic philosophy," musical compositions and performances. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama...
, Roman Bunka
Roman Bunka
Roman Bunka is a German guitarist and composer.His second instrument is the Arabic Oud. He is known for his work with Embryo, Fathy Salama, Mal Waldron, Dissidenten, Trilok Gurtu, Charlie Mariano, Mohamed Mounir and Malachi Favors.Roman Bunka lives in Munich.-Awards:* 1993 BBC Prix Futura for...
, Malik Osman, Hal Galper
Hal Galper
-Biography:He studied classical piano as a boy, but switched to jazz which he studied at the Berklee College of Music from 1955 to 1958. He hung out at Herb Pomeroy's club, The Stable, hearing local Boston musicians like Jackie Byard, Alan Dawson and Sam Rivers. Galper started sitting in and became...
, Ossman Kareem and Pat Patrick.
He progressed to making plenty of hits in Cairo during the 80's, he has been touring the world and he has won two prizes for his film sound tracks for Fallen Angels Paradise's and Signs Of April, it is with Sharkiat (his own group) that Fathy is making his dreams come true of merging modern and traditional music together, thus expressing both a message from his home country and his love of music.
His music reflects his experience from the Orient and from Europe. His "success" on the music industry plays a secondary role ; first and foremost he wants to be understood, and so he works tirelessly on this bridge linking traditional and modern music from the Orient.
Fathy has collaborated in electronic music with Kouchari or his meeting with Alix Roy, and sacred music with Egypt
Egypt (album)
Egypt is a Grammy Award-winning album by Senegalese musician Youssou N'Dour, on which he is accompanied by the Egyptian Fathy Salama Orchestra. In the original Senegalese release, it was named Sant Allah ....
, the successful Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour is a Senegalese singer, percussionist and occasional actor. In 2004, Rolling Stone described him as, in Senegal and much of Africa, "perhaps the most famous singer alive." He helped develop a style of popular music in Senegal, known in the Serer language as mbalax, a type of music...
album (Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music Album and BBC Award).
Discography
- Ibn Battuta 1994 Schneeball with EmbryoEmbryo (band)Embryo is a musical collective from Munich which has been active since 1969, although its story started in the mid-1950s in Hof where Christian Burchard and Dieter Serfas met for the first time at the age of 10...
- Color Me Cairo 1995 Enja with Roman BunkaRoman BunkaRoman Bunka is a German guitarist and composer.His second instrument is the Arabic Oud. He is known for his work with Embryo, Fathy Salama, Mal Waldron, Dissidenten, Trilok Gurtu, Charlie Mariano, Mohamed Mounir and Malachi Favors.Roman Bunka lives in Munich.-Awards:* 1993 BBC Prix Futura for...
- Sultany 2006 (Incognito Rec.)