BBC - Radio 3 - Womad 2004

FAWZY AL-AIEDY (IRAQ/FRANCE)

It goes without saying that there's more to Iraq than bombs, militias, humvees and disappearing WMD. The foundations of all Arabic music were laid down in Baghdad at the end of the first millennium and the country has a venerable musical tradition that goes back more than fourteen centuries. Fawzy Al-Aiedy is a singer and oud or lute player who was born in Basra in the 1950s, but now lives in Paris where he has become a respected teacher and doyen of the middle-Eastern music scene. He has not only mastered the oud, the core instrument of classical Arabic music, but also the oboe and French horn.

As well releasing numerous CDs, Al-Aiedy has written and performed music for a number of theatre productions in France. At WOMAD this year he will be presenting a performance called ' Paris - Baghdad Grooves', in which his vocal prowess is allowed free rein and a mixture of acoustic and electronic instruments fuse eastern and western traditions.

Al-Aiedy will be joined by a group of France's finest oriental musicians, including Tunisian violinist Farhat Bouallagui and Moroccan derbouka player Mustapha Ettambri, who have performed with Khaled, Faudel, Mami, Orchestre National de Barbè's and Sting, amongst others.

Courtesy of Andy Morgan, July 2004

Read other people's comments then

Tell us what you think:

Geri Austria
I like his music since the end of the 80`s. Salam!

Naushad from Blackburn, England
Excellent, please can you give me a contact for you as I would be interested in brining you over at our summer festival in Blacburn. from Naushad - Chair of Blackburn Mela

Amin Muhammed
hi, my unkil lm Muhammed from sweden. l like your music to much ,Really you best message from lraq to all world. thankes to and lm very happy to writ to you.

mona iraq
hi my ancle how r u?miss u aloot hop to see u hop to hear u voice m called u many time but its onley anser machine was anser me m will call u love u muna

Seymour Elmham
Nice 'oud. Shame about the voice.

David & Guin Sartory
We have been going to WOMAD for the last six years, and every year we have a find - this year it was Fawzy. We don't know whether recent events in Iraq have stirred him more, but the passion and energy of his performance in tha Siam tent at midnight on Friday was absolutely wonderful. Much more appropriate of what Iraq has to offer than Kazem El Sahir !! And his collaboration with Yair Dalal at the gala exemplified what world music is all about. A great find for us and a wonderful addition to our world music experiences.

Kathy - UK, Barbara - France
Fantastic performance and a wonderful workshop earlier in the day, where he was friendly and approachable. In fact, he was even more interesting playing solo in the workshop. Having discovered him at Womad for the first time, we bought one of his albums on the strength of it and look forward to him coming to Le Mans so that we can hear him live once again and promote him further to our friends and family there.

Helen, London
I really wanted to see this group as I am half French, half Iranian so the connection was there. But they exceeded all expectations. It was so moving at times that a girl next to me was crying! We were amazed at how beautiful the performance was and the drumming was also great. For me, the second best act all weekend, bring it on!