Cairo Steps
# Cairo Steps

Cairo Steps is an ensemble was founded 2002 by the Egyptian German musician and producer Basem Darwisch. Cairo Steps has awarded the German golden jazz award in 2018.

## About

Cairo Steps was founded in 2002 by the Egyptian German musician and producer Basem Darwisch.

Cairo Steps merges and combines traditional Egyptian and oriental grooves with modern jazz improvisation, classical music and contemporary sounds. The ensemble has played numerous concerts in Egypt, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Italy, France and many stages worldwide with musicians and artists from around the world. The group includes members of different nationalities.

## Awards

On April 19, 2018, Cairo Steps collected The German Jazz Music award at Berlin ceremony with the ensemble members including Ines Abdul Dayem, Minister of Culture of Egypt, The ensemble received the award for their album Flying Carpet, which they created with German band Quadro Nuevo. The Egyptian minister of culture honored Cairo Steps in the Egyptian Academy in Rome after being awarded the German Jazz Music Award in April 2018.

## The impact of The COVID-19 Pandemic

On June 26, 2020, Cairo Steps with Quadro Nuevo, released a video of playing the soundtrack (Shams) produced in 2017 on the album (Flying Carpet). The video was released on Cairo Steps' YouTube channel To alert the community to domestic isolation and social distancing in anticipation of COVID-19. The track was played via video conference between the musicians.

On April 6, 2020, the Egyptian Ministry of Culture showed one of the previous Cairo Steps concerts that were at the Cairo Opera House and was among the videos that the Ministry of Culture published on its YouTube channel. The concert was released shortly after the launch of "Culture in Your Hands", an initiative to start performing theater performances, concerts and other cultural events over the Internet amid the closure of theaters, cinemas and concert halls due to the Coronavirus.

On November 2, 2020, Cairo Steps participated in the Arab Music Festival at the Cairo Opera House, the concert was held in the open air, taking into account the precautionary measures to prevent COVID-19.

## Members

Cairo Steps consists of many members from different countries:

* Basem Darwisch (Oud)
* Rami Attallah (Piano and Conductor)
* Jan Boshra (Cello) Strings Ensemble
* Max Klaas (Percussions)
* Hani El Sawaf (Req)
* Azeema (Tabla & Percussions)
* Ragy Kamal (Kanoun)
* Rageed William (Duduk and Nai)
* Stefan Hergenröder (E-Bass)
* Wolfgang Wittemann (Soprano Saxophone)
* Wael El-Sayed (Accordion)
* Emad Azmy (violin)
* Mahmoud Zakaria (Viola)
* Nehad Gamaleldin (Viola)
* Sherine Azmy (violin)

### Cooperating artists and guests of honor

* Mohamed Mounir
* Ali El Haggar
* Ali El Helbawi
* Ihab Youness
* Marwa Nagui
* Maher Fayez
* Monica George
* Ines Abdul Dayem

## Discography

Basem Darwisch led his team, Cairo Steps, to produce 5 albums and a large number of singles:

Albums and Singles :

| Year of Release | Album Name | Content | Notes |
| - | - | - | - |
| 2012 | Oud Lounge | Cairo Steps* Memories Triomania Samai Darwisch Sun Rise Taqsim Oud Alpha Omega Desert Road Min Awel Lamsa | *Cairo Steps was redistributed in another version and released on the same album |
| 2016 | Arabiskan | Sultan Nubian Groove Shams Amber Siwa** Bokra Alif La Sua Bucca Arabiskan* | *Ali El Helbawy sang Arabiskan in Flying Carpet album **The song (My God) was sung by Marwa Nagy with Siwa Music. |
| 2016 | Silk Road | Voyage Oriental Jaipur Express Constantinople Dance Palace Floating On Syr Darya Riders Of Tashkent Feathers and flames Samarkand 1001 The Prince Of Turfan Taklan Makan Moon Over Issyk kul Market Of Kashgar | |
| 2017 | Flying Carpet | Sansibar Khaliji Steps Shams Dance Du Nil Arabiskan | |
| 2020–21 | Diwan Cafe | Oud Suite | feat. Basem Darwisch |
| 2020–21 | Diwan Cafe | Reprise | feat. Wolfgang Wittemann |
| 2020–21 | Diwan Cafe | Malek AlMolk | feat. Sheikh Ehab Youness |
| 2020–21 | Diwan Cafe | Cairo Vibe | feat. Rami Attallah |
| 2020–21 | Diwan Cafe | Ward | feat. Rageed William |
| 2020–21 | Diwan Cafe | Elahi | feat. Ousso Lotfy |
| 2020–21 | Diwan Cafe | El Anfoushi | feat. Wael El Sayed |
| 2020–21 | Diwan Cafe | El Zaitoun | feat. Ragy Kamal |
| 2020–21 | Diwan Cafe | Fayoum | feat. John Sami |
| | Electronic Music (With: Sam Shure) | Iboto Mirage Sultan Arabiskan | |
| | Soundtrack | Seven to One | |
| | Inspirational Music | Oud Mood of the day | |
| | Inspirational Music | Duduk and Oud dialog mood | With Rageed William |
| 2014 | Singles | Gnossienne No.1 | Remix feat Sheikh Ehab Younis |
| 2014 | Singles | I can Say | feat Maher Fayez. |
| 2014–2015 | Singles | Je nai nan | feat Sheikh Ehab Younis, Ali El Helbawy, Monica George and Peter Ghattas. |
| 2015 | Singles | Aripsalin | feat Monica George and Peter Ghattas. |
| 2015 | Singles | Mariam | feat Monica George and Peter Ghattas. |
| 2015 | Singles | Beredak | Remix feat Marwa Nagy |
| 2015 | Singles | Al Mokhtar | Remix feat Marwa Nagy |
| 2015 | Singles | Gnossienne | New Remix |
| 2017 | Singles | Palladio | New Remix |
| 2017 | Singles | Adagio | Remix feat Sheikh Ehab Younis |
| 2017 | Singles | Desert Road | Wahba's Moonlight Remix |
| 2020 | Singles | Malek ElMolk | feat Sheikh Ehab Younis |
