Thursday, October 29, at 6:00 PM. Doors open at 5:00 PM - kr 375 / A-card/student/senior/Under 25 kr 320 incl. fee. Double ticket for both this and BCUC - kr 690
Boundless, ancient musical ecstasy
A concert with Mazaher is a special, hypnotic experience that connects the listener with ancient and trance-like pre-Christian and pre-Islamic traditions. The musicians Um Sameh, Um Hassan, and Nour El Sabah are among the foremost, and last, practitioners of the genre in Egypt today. This music form has traditionally been preserved and practiced by women, while men play a secondary role. It combines singing, polyrhythmic drumming, dancing, and revolves around the six-stringed Egyptian lyre called tanbūra. This sacred instrument is depicted on the walls of tombs and temples in ancient Egypt. Another important instrument is the mangouren, a leather belt into which goat hooves and various percussive objects are sewn.
Everything comes together in a healing ritual, which is often seen as a form of exorcism. But it is more about finding inner harmony. Zar creates a space where people can process tensions and frustrations from social constraints without limiting the way they move, dress, speak, or dream. In short – it does what good music often does.
Zar is said to have its origins in East Africa, and although its practice is fading in Egypt, the ritual is thriving in other parts of East Africa and on the Arabian Peninsula. It is ostracized by the religious establishment, the state, and the official cultural elite, and is part of the underground culture. Thus, it has also survived as a subculture, in its original form without significant interference. Many of the polyrhythmic songs and melodies are markedly different from other Egyptian music traditions. Many songs have been forgotten, and the practice of Zar in Egypt has nearly disappeared. No more than a dozen people in Greater Cairo have continued knowledge of the musical heritage of zar. Throughout Egypt, there are only about 25 people who continue to practice this knowledge and this tradition. At Oslo World this fall, Mazaher will show that even though it is nearly extinct in modern Egypt, zar is still an important form of musical communication and escapism.
The fantastic band BCUC from South Africa will also perform on the same evening at the National Jazz Scene – and you can purchase a double ticket at a reduced price, making this a truly special evening at one of Oslo's most beautiful venues.
