The work of oud master and musical polymath Mohamed Abozekry resonates in time and of place, as he excavates and renews the deep frame of Egyptian classicism. With a new sextet featuring musicians from Cairo and Paris, he continues to push the boundaries of what it means to be contemporary. Roh El Fouad (The Heart’s Soul), Abozekry’s fifth album, released in 2024, fuses oud, bass, drums, keyboard, percussion, saxophone, and vocals to form the latest chapter in Abozekry’s improvisational exploration of Egyptian music without a predetermined template.

“With brilliant, inventive virtuosity that goes far beyond technical mastery…in Roh El FouadAbozekry’s compositions are interwoven with jazz, Arabic modes, and swirling ardor.” Le Monde, May 2024

Listen to the full album on Spotify or Apple Music.

Mohamed Abozekry is on tour in the USA as part of Center Stage, an initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs with funding provided by the U.S. Government. It is administered by the New England Foundation for the Arts in cooperation with the U.S. Regional Arts Organizations. General management is provided by Lisa Booth Management, Inc.

www.centerstageUS.org

Michael Joesph Harris and the Hot Club of Baltimore will open the night with the first set of music. The Hot Club of Baltimore performs inspired arrangements of the Django Reinhardt repertoire, French waltzes, and Trad Jazz. The ensemble boasts a variety of configurations including an instrumental trio of two guitars and upright bass, a classic quintet with violin, a late 40’s instrumentation adding piano, drums, and horns, and a Django Big Band, which emulates the sound of the early 50’s when Reinhardt performed with Duke Ellington. The group often features captivating vocalist Alexis Tantau who sings in her native Occitan language as well as songs in French and English by Edith Piaf, Eartha Kitt, Charles Trenet, Maxine Sullivan, Jacques Dutronc, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, and Henri Salvador.

Presented in partnership with Center for Cultural Vibrancy. Learn more about CCV at https://culturalvibrancy.org

Doors 7:00pm // Show 7:30pm

$20 tickets + $15 student tickets

Church on the Square

1025 S Potomac St, Baltimore, MD 21224