Raquy Danziger's Blog

NEWS UPDATE!!!!!!!
TABLA EXTRAVEGANZA CONCERT on the NILE!
MARCH 11TH, 8:00 pm
STARRING SAIID EL ARTIST AND MOI!
With Rami, Dumbek Girls Gone Wild and Saiid’s Troupe
SAKIA EL SAWY CULTURAL CENTER
UNDER 26 OF JULY BRIDGE, ZAMALEK
www.culturewheel.com

Tonight I’m staying home – hallas!

It hit me last night at Saiiid’s that I haven’t had any off time since
I got to this country! First we had to run around to get the apartment.
Then we had to run around to organize this concert. And every night
we’ve been going to Saiid until the wee hours of the morning. It’s
been amazing. Some of the best musicians in Egypt hang out at his
place – playing backgammon, eating lib (seeds), jamming and smoking
stuff. At the same time there’s this composer who is recording his
music in Saiid’s recording studio. The music is so cool – very
difficult and interesting and he’s getting amazing musicians in to
record. No other women hang out there, and no other pink people
besides me. Im learning a lot about music and about what to say in
Arabic when you pass a ....... (censored by Egyptian police).

Last night I jammed with this kid “Hummus” – Saiid’s adorable 15 year
old nephew who is quite good on the dumbek!


Hummus Jamming Under the Surveillance of Uncle Saiid

I also had my first lesson on the Rababa – the Egyptian version of the
kemenche. It’s even more loud and obnoxious than my loud kemenche.
Fishky’s gonna hate it.

Saiid got the best Rababa player in Egypt to come to the studio and
give me a lessons, This guy is so kick ass. I’m gonna take a lesson
every other day. He doesn’t speak a word of English. The funny thing
was that he came to give me a lesson and he didn’t bring his
instrument! I said “ how can we have a lesson if you don’t have a
rabbaba?” So for the first lesson we passed mine back and forth and
next lesson (Ein Shallah) he’ll bring his own. But what a musician!
I’ll see if I can put a sample of his playing on the blog.

The big news is that we have a concert in the best possible place – an
outdoor theater on the Nile in the middle of downtown Cairo!!!!!! Yay!
I’m so happy! It’s underneath a bridge that used to be a garbage dump
but this guy Mr. Sawy made it into an amazing cultural center with
different stages and art galleries,ect. We met with him and I showed
him footage from a Raquy and the Cavemen concert and he loved it. He
also loves Saiid so he said we could play there! Yay! (For details
see above). I’m very excited. Our’s is the outdoor stage – its very
big and the space can easily hold a few hundred people. It’s just
perfect!!!! Said is excited about having the “Dumbek Girls Gone Wild”
perform with us. Yay!

Now I can relax a little – I just have to rehearse with Saiid and
anyone else who’s playing with us. Today this guy Miles from LA came
over who plays upright bass. Very nice and very tall and very good
musician! We jammed all day – he’s learning the bass part to Dust and
Raquin – Ein Shalla he’ll play with us on some concerts.



Rehearsal with Miles in our Luxury Apartment

Oh – a few interesting things I’ve learned about the dumbek!

1 – In the old days these guys used to come around to the Egyptian
neighborhoods with cars and yell “Bring out your old clothes” and in
exchange for old clothes, the people got a dumbek! That’s why so many
people in Egypt play dumbek! (according to Saiiid)

2- When I studied in India I learned the importance of respecting your
instrument – for example you should never put your feet on the drum.
This theory was shattered for me when Saiid el Artist, the greatest
dumbek player in Egypt, plopped his butt down on my drum in order to
stretch the skin – he sat on it for about 20 minutes!

By the way, is anyone reading this? Please write to me with your
comments! I’d love to hear from you!