Fathy Salama talks about the negative side of the music industry
CAIRO: One of the most diverse sounds in Egypt is that of musician Fathy Salama, who has acquired quite a fan base since he first started in the 1980s with his band Sharkiat.
His album “Egypt, which he produced, arranged and conducted with famous Senegalese singer Youssou N’Dour, won the Best World Music Album of 2004 at the 47th annual Grammy Awards.
The eccentric performer has been playing music for decades, yet it is hard to label him with a certain style. Although his music has been called a “deep and talented interbreeding of jazz and pop by the international press, Salama feels that defining music is only a form of identification used to put albums on the shelf to sell them. His music, on the other hand, is an open form.
Without a label, Salama is known for his passion for fusion. He explains to The Daily Star Egypt that it isn’t about simply mixing cultures; it’s about producing what you see and what you experience. “My music is my history, he says.
Salama’s life in itself is a blend of culture. He was born in the Shubra district in Cairo, an area that represents the core of the Egyptian spirit. After learning to play the piano at the age of six, he began by learning the roots of traditional Arabic music up to Umm Kalthoum, followed by the Western classics, such as Bartok and Tchaikovsky.
He then decided to study jazz first in Egypt then in New York, with renowned artists such as Barry Harris, Hal Galper, Malik Osman, Pat Patrick and Sun Râ. In the United States, he played punk and rock music, among other styles.
Since Sharkiat was formed in 1989, it has been an open workshop for musicians. They have played with African, European, Indian and American artists and naturally they were all influenced by each other.
Salama still holds many workshops instructing young performers on certain topics. He feels that in Egypt many of the artists he has interacted with don’t have a strong base, which can be very difficult.
“You need talent, then education and experience which takes years to achieve, and then of course you need consistency, he says.
Salama explains that it is not only Egypt that lacks really good music; he feels that commercial music internationally has taken a downfall. “It’s like junk food. Something fast, you listen to it quickly like background music . people don’t sit and listen to music anymore . I think it reflects the culture these days of the world: zero, he says.
In his opinion, this commercial industry is not about music at all but purely about business. The new media forms in Egypt, like all the video clip channels that have emerged, actually damage music rather than encouraging new talents.
“To be accepted they have to all be the same, silly and playful. These channels encourage this, he says.
Ironically, Salama started his career in commercial music, composing hits for popular singers Amr Diab, Ali Al Haggar and Anushka. He was one of the pioneers of Arab pop.
Another large problem that discourages non-commercial performers is the lack of venues to play at. Their music is not welcome on TV or on the radio, plus there are very limited placsd to play.
Salama has been working on a new form of music that descends from the doroob, an old Eastern form rarely heard today. The band has given it a new age feel that is no doubt going to be a hit.
Don’t miss Fathy Salama live in concert tonight at the Sawy Culture Center, 8:00 pm.
