Limitless virtuosity with an unbridled imaginati on: this oud master musically
\ninterprets the boundless world around him.

Join us for the final event of the Claremont Mini Jazz Fest w ith the Mohamed Abozekry Sextet. The work of oud master and musical polyma th Mohamed Abozekry resonates in time and of place\, as he excavates and r enews the deep frame of Egyptian classicism. With a new sextet featuring m usicians working across and around two continents 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\, dr ums\, keyboard\, percussion\, saxophone\, and vocals to form the latest ch apter in Abozekry’s improvisational exploration of Egyptian music without a predetermined template.

“With brilliant\, inventive virt uosity that goes far beyond technical mastery…in Roh El Fouad Abozekry’s compositions are interwoven with jazz\, Arabic modes\, an d swirling ardor.” Le Monde\, May 2024

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Mohamed Abozekry

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As performer and writer\, the compositions and tec hniques of oud master and musical polymath Mohamed Abozekry excavate and r enew the deep frame of Egyptian classicism.
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In this project featur ing a sextet of musicians from Cairo\, Paris\, and New York\, Abozekry pre sents Roh El Fouad (The Heart’s Soul). Released in 2024 this album fuses oud\, bass\, drums\, keyboard\, percuss ion\, saxophone\, and vocals to form the latest chapter in Abozekry’s musi cal explorations without a predetermined template.
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Born in Cairo i n 1991\, Abozekry graduated at 15 from the Arabic Oud house in Cairo. He w as the youngest oud teacher in the Arab world\, and in 2009 was awarded fi rst prize at the International Oud Competition in Syria. At the age of 18\ , he began splitting his time in France where his career as an internation al artist began. Now a dual national of France and Egypt\, navigating cult ural borders is a core source of inspiration.
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Pursuing his love of cinema and film scores\, Abozekry earned a master’s degree in film music (MAAAV) in Lyon II in 2019. He has scored short films and TV series such a s ‘Maktoub Akaya’ (K Media) 2022\, ‘Balto’ (Watch it)\, and ‘Omar Affendi’ (Shahid).
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While the oud is usually positioned as solo instrument or takes the melodic lead in a traditional Arabic ensemble\, Abozekry coll aborates with musicians across musical spaces – from jazz to Roma bands\, western classical orchestras\, and electronica. He creates new composition s and the techniques to play with others in these diverse landscapes.
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Abozekry has released five albums to date including “Chaos” (Rue Sten dhal – 2013) and ‘Ring Road’ (Jazz Village – 2015) with his French jazz ba nd\, HeeJaz. 2018’s ‘Karkadé’ (Jazz Village – 2016) was a trip back to the source with a team of traditional musicians in Cairo\, a project that tou red the U.S. ‘Trio Abozekry’ (Molpé Music – 2018) features a collaboration with his brother Abdallah Abozekry on sax\, and Nicolas Thé on drums. In 2024\, he released ‘Roh El Fouad’(Nile Waves)\, with a jazz sextet he form ed in Cairo.
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Abozekry is bringing the oud into new musical spaces\ , expanding the popularity of the instrument and reminding us how ancient traditions continue to shape modern sounds. “I never move backwards\, but in a circular motion and return to the place I started with more experienc e.” Mohamedabozekry.com and @m.Abozekry< /a>
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The Sext et

The musical interests of Abozekry’s musical p artners on this U.S. tour are equally wide ranging. Camille Maussion (Pari s/saxophone) @camille.maussion\, Geo rge Nabil (Paris/keyboards) @george.na bilmusic\, André Segone (Paris/bass) @andre_ segone\, Wadie Naim (Cairo/percussion) @wadie_na im\, Ele Salif Howell (Brooklyn/drums) @elehowell< /a>\, Nazli Reda (Cairo/sound engineer) @nazlis. noise

2025 U.S.Tour

Mohamed Abozekry Sextet is on tour in the U.S. as part of Center Stage\, t he cultural diplomacy program that hosted Abozekry’s Karkadé project in 20 18. Their month-long tour includes stops in Tucson AZ\, State College PA\, Baltimore MD\, Lexington KY\, Wilmington NC\, Chicago IL\, Claremont NH\, Saugerties NY\, and New York City.

Since 2012\, Center Stage has produced national tours by 48 groups from 19 countries\, hosted by college s and universities\, festivals\, music clubs\, and cultural centers. Cente r Stage ensembles reach large cities and small towns. They engage with com munities onstage\, offstage\, and online through performances\, workshops\ , and discussions\, artist-to-artist exchanges\, master classes\, and comm unity gatherings\, and return home to share these experiences with peers a nd fans. For this last edition of the program\, Center Stage has invited a lumni groups to return and share their work in communities from coast to c oast. These are Khumariyaan (Pakistan)\, Papermoon Puppet Theatre (Indones ia)\, Mohamed Abozekry (Egypt & France)\, and Kurbasy (Ukraine). Visit centerstageus.org for more information.

Center Stage is a pub lic diplomacy initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educa tional and Cultural Affairs with funding provided by the U.S. Government\, administered by the New England Foundation for the Arts in cooperation wi th the U.S. Regional Arts Organizations. General management is provided by Lisa Booth Management\, Inc.

Producer

New England Foundation for the Arts

Adrienne Petrillo\, Interim Director of Program Strategy

Kelsey Spitalny\, Interim Manager of Program Str ategy

General Manager

LBMI\, Lisa Booth Management\, Inc.

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Deirdre Valente\, Principal
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Robert W. Henderson\, Jr .\, Production Manager
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Danielle Dybiec\, Nine Muses Travel\, Tour Advance
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Denise Wilcke\, On Tour Company Manager
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