On Friday evening, the historic Ewart Memorial Hall at The American University in Cairo hosted the closing ceremony of the 2025 edition of the Cairo International Jazz Festival, a special edition dedicated to the memory of the late musical genius Ziad Rahbani, who passed away a few months ago, leaving a deep void among his admirers and audiences.
The festival concluded with two performances, the first featuring the Swiss group Novel of Anomaly, composed of Andreas Schaerer – voice, vocal effects & beatbox, Luciano Biondini – accordion, Kalle Kalima – electric guitar, and Lucas Niggli – drums & percussion.
The band delivered an exceptional musical fusion blending jazz with folk-inspired soundscapes, characterized by freedom, playfulness, and emotional exploration.
The interplay between accordion and electric guitar, combined with lively rhythmic percussion, invited the audience into an intimate, introspective musical journey.
In an interview with SEE News, vocalist Andreas Schaerer explained that the music they create embodies the spirit of freedom at the heart of jazz.
He expressed his admiration for the Egyptian audience’s warmth and engagement, noting that the band deeply enjoyed performing in Cairo and Alexandria.
Schaerer impressed the crowd with his masterful vocal techniques, including beatboxing and seamless dynamic transitions, drawing the audience into interactive moments.
He also thanked the audience warmly in both Arabic and English.
The night then shifted to the highly anticipated tribute to Ziad Rahbani—a heartfelt gesture from the Egyptian public, who have long held deep affection for the Rahbani family and Fairuz.
Ziad, in turn, shared a profound respect and love for the Egyptian people, making this tribute both personal and cultural.
Festival director and pianist Amr Salah opened the segment by thanking all partners, including cultural centers, embassies, the Ministry of Culture, and The American University in Cairo.
He then recalled Ziad’s visit to Cairo in 2010 for the festival’s second edition, sharing how Ziad felt he had arrived late to a city he already loved deeply.
Next, renowned Iraqi composer and oud virtuoso Naseer Shamma spoke about Ziad’s legacy as a bold and revolutionary artist—one who gave a voice to Beirut, chronicled Lebanon’s struggles, and used music and satire to reflect political and social realities. Shamma emphasized that Ziad never abandoned Lebanon, even during the civil war.
A collective of artists who either collaborated with or were influenced by Ziad took the stage, including: Hany Adel, Hazem Shaheen, Nouran Abutaleb, Rana Hagag, and Alia Neda.
The tribute began with a rare archival interview of Fairuz, discussing Ziad’s artistic rebellion and his insistence on treating her not as a mother but as a fellow artist.
The ensemble then performed several of Ziad’s compositions for Fairuz, including "Sabah Wi Masa," "Kifak Enta," 'El Bosta," and "Eh Fi Amal" and the intro from the musical "Mais El Reem", which marked one of Ziad’s earliest and most innovative collaborations.
One of the evening’s standout performances was delivered by Nouran Abutaleb, who offered powerful renditions of "Kifak Enta" and "El Bosta," alongside a message of solidarity with Palestine and Lebanon.
Artists Hany Adel and Hazem Shaheen, who had personal artistic connections with Ziad, performed with sincerity and emotional depth.
Shaheen’s rendition of “Ana Mesh Kafir” and “Marraba El Dalal” (from Ziad’s collaborations with the late Joseph Sakr, often described as Ziad’s voice), stood out as some of the night’s most emotional moments.
Short video clips of Ziad reflecting on the stories behind his songs were screened, adding moving context to the tribute.
The closing night was warm, meaningful, and rich in artistic tribute. However—while beautiful—the program leaned heavily on Ziad’s most popular Fairuz works and could have further highlighted his groundbreaking contributions to Arabic theater music and his solo albums, such as "Bimthal Hedy" and "Hawamesh".
There were also minor organizational delays, but the overall experience was heartfelt and fitting. Cairo’s tribute to Ziad Rahbani was, simply, a necessary gesture of gratitude to an artist who transformed Arabic music and theater.
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