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“a committed, euphoric international coalition.”
Founded in 2011 by Egyptian ethnomusicologist Mina Girgis and Ethiopian-American singer Meklit Hadero, the Nile Project is one of the tightest cross-cultural musical collaborations in history. Working to raise awareness of the entire Nile River basin as an ecosystem, the 27-member Nile Project collective hail from all along the great river that connects 11 countries and over 400 million people—a region that has been marred by political and ecological conflicts—from its sources beyond Lake Victoria to its delta in Egypt. Resonant harps and lyres from up and down the river have learned new musical modes, while buzzing timbres and ingenious polyrhythms support vocals in more than 10 languages. Instruments that parted ways millennia before are reunited and pushed into new places. Love songs have crossed geographic and linguistic barriers to forge new, close friendships.
Bio
The Nile Project’s collaborative model is a blueprint for a new way to organize the Nile.
In January 2015, the Nile Project embarked on a 4 month US tour performing 50 concerts with stops at the Lincoln Center, the United Nations and residencies at 30 universities. Using music to spark cultural curiosity and engage audiences, the Nile Project encourages them to feel connected to the river and to explore new approaches to its large-scale problems. In an evolving series of interlocking programs that spring from the musical experience, the project aims to inspire, educate and empower young people worldwide to become Nile Citizens. Full Bio at www.nileproject.org/music
Musicians
Only US Tour musicians are featured in this publication. For the full list of the 27-member collective, visit www.nileproject.org/music
Mohamed Abo Zekry – Egypt - Oud Despite his tender years, this oud player has a stunning command of his instrument, as well as an open ear for other forms, skills that got him a recent album deal with Harmonia Mundi.
Alsarah – Sudan - Vocals Based in Brooklyn, this soulful Sudanese singer and ethnomusicologist’s songs have won high praise from roots-music tastemakers like Songlines Magazine.
Michael Bazibu – Uganda – Vocals, Percussion, Adungu, Entongoli Member of Uganda’s leading traditional music and dance company, Ndere, for 17 years. Bazibu plays several traditional Ugandan stringed and percussion instruments with virtuosic grace.
Hani Bedair – Egypt – Percussion When the biggest stars in the Middle East need daff (hand drum) or riq (traditional tambourine), they call Bedair, whose percussion skills have also earned him a teaching position at several respected Cairo institutions.
Nader El Shaer – Egypt - Kawala Born in the culturally rich town of Port Said, El Shaer taught himself accordion and ney, only to fall in love with the tones of the kawala and its role in Arabic music.
Dina ElWedidi – Egypt - Vocals With experience that spans Arabic classical music, edgy theater, and street protest, this young singer has most recently worked with Brazilian heavyweight Gilbert Gil on her debut album.
Meklit Hadero – Ethiopia - Vocals Co-founder of the Nile Project, this American-based Ethiopian singer frequently digs deep into jazz and singer-songwriter styles, but never loses sight of her roots.
Jorga Mesfin – Ethiopia - Sax This self-taught sax player meshes jazz with Ethiopia’s wealth of musical forms and ideas, both as a respected band leader and favorite sideman for greats like Mulatu Astatke. Kasiva Mutua – Kenya – Percussion Mutua may have learned drumming from her grandmother, but has developed her own knack for powerful Afropop beats. Her expressive playing can tell a story on its own, or keep a band perfectly in the pocket.
Sophie Nzayisenga - Rwanda - Inanga The first female master of the Rwandan traditional zither (inanga), Nzayisenga learned at her internationally acclaimed father’s knee before setting out to make the instrument her own. Steven Sogo – Burundi – Vocals, Bass, Ikembi, Umuduri This Multilingual can play anything with strings including the umuduri, Burundi’s answer to the birembau. He was named a World Bank musical ambassador.
Selamnesh Zemane – Ethiopia - Vocals Hailing from a long line of unique culture bearers in Northern Ethiopia, Zemene has brought her traditions to collaborations with indie darlings like Debo Band and The Ex.
Discography
Aswan 2013
Recorded at the Nile Project’s first live concert in Aswan. The album was named among NPR’s “5 Must-Hear International Albums” of the year.
The soundtrack for their 2015 US Tour, Afropop calls the compositions on Jinja ”seductive and beautiful music.” Available Summer 2015.
Jinja 2015
“A committed, euphoric international coalition”
“Producing harmony in a divided world”
“a multinational intensity”
More press coverage at www.nileproject.org/press
“a collaborative spirit flow”
Photo by Karsten Moran for the New York Times
nileproject.org A project of Zambaleta Music inquiries: [email protected] Media inquiries: [email protected] General inquiries: [email protected]
zambaleta.org zambaleta is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt NGO based in San Francisco, CA with a mission to design participatory musical experiences and provide a novel approach to musical production, education and networking. 3001 20th Street, San Francisco, CA Phone: +1 (415) 234 3952 Email: [email protected]
