Nass Makan (« The people of Makan ») brings together the greatest musicians of Egypt in a new sound. Famous custodians of the legacy of musical tradition, such as Zar performers Om Sameh and Om Hassan join and Sayed Rekabi together with many unique instrumentalists.
Gypsy Music from the Delta joins hands with Zar songs and Arabic music styles, traditional instruments join contemporary ones. In the thoughtful and exhilarating arrangements, each singer and each music style is presented on a platform that respects the diverse musical tradition and brings out it in a new way.
Musical director Ahmed el Maghraby describes the process:
Since the beginning of my work in the field of traditional music some years ago, I always asked myself what’s next: What will happen after we have located the last living resources of certain musical traditions? What will happen after we recorded it and preserved this rich legacy with the means of modern technology? And after we present it the way it is, without additions or alterations for many years? The answer I found is based on the words of Sheikh Amin Elkhouly:
"The first step in a renewal is to contain and totally assimilate the old".
With "Nass Makan" we are trying to find this road to renewal by analyzing Our music, by building on techniques, shapes and sounds of traditional music in a way that will produce a new creative experience.