I'm sure we've mentioned our friend Nada, who we actually met while trying to grab a taxi to Zamalek.  It was during our first week here, all the cabs were refusing to go to Zamalek, and as she was also trying to get to Zamalek so we shared a cab. She's super sweet and welcoming and inclusive and has since invited us to join her and her friends at Sakia al Sawy quite a few times.  I'm not sure exactly how to describe Sakia... it's a local culture center, but it's mostly live bands that are the big draw. They also have art shows and currently for Ramadan there's a little fair every night. 

Last week we saw an awesome band at Sakia, Eftekasat .  They describe themselves as Sufi Jazz and they had a recognized Jordanian sufi singer, Ruba Saqr, as a guest performer.  Her voice was so so so beautiful.  Her voice reminded me of Tori Amos, although the style she was singing was jazzed up tradiational Sufi songs.  She would introduce the songs then usually say how old they were, most of them were at least 500 years old!  Often the songs were very repititious in the words, she said this was so the singer could lose themselves in the music and focus on reaching God, rather than the words.  Similar to the whirling Sufi dancers also seeking to raise up and seek God through repetition.   That concert was just so cool I can't wait to see that band again although without Ruba they may be less exciting :)  The music includes a violen, key boardist, drum set, hand drums of various forms (like congas and tradtiional drums I don't know the names of) and an Aoud player, the traditional guitar.  The songs were all so soulful and beautiful! 

We didn't remember our camera last week, so we took it with us yesterday to see the Riff band.  The pictures below are of the fair and in the concert.  There is a huge Ramadan lantern as part of the stage decoration for every concert we've been to during Ramadan.  The Riff band happens to be one of Nada's favorites and is pretty traditional American Jazz.  They were good, complete with a Jazz section, but in my mind lacked the power of Eftekasat. The lead singer of the Riff band is actually the same guy we saw a few weeks ago, sort of by accident.  We were confused and ended up in a great American love songs concert. Sooo stinking funny!  The set was complete with a single rose and quite cheesy.  The songs were fun though. This guy seems to have quite the interest in American music because his jazz band was similar in praising American Jazz artists of the last century.  Funny enough the Riff Band pianist is someone I scuba dived with last time I was here!  I saw him play a few times at Cairo Jazz club a few years ago but somehow didn't realize he was the jazz pianist in the Riff Band.  Didn't get a chance to talk to him as he darted behind stage after the show, but I'd like to chat with him soon to see if he's still diving!!