Abdel Halim Hafez - Mawood Abdel Halim Hafez

Released: 02/12/22

The legendary Egyptian singer Abdel Halim Hafez is perhaps best-known for being sampled by Jay-Z on his track "Big Pimpin', which took from Hafez's 60s track "Khusara Khusara" (featuring percussionist Hossam Ramzy). It's a dubious accolade indeed, and so with the reissue of the incredible 1971 live albumMawood(featuring remastered audio and a new introduction by Mario Choueiry) for the first time in decades, the hope is that Hafez will finally receive the wider recognition he deserves. 

A cornerstone of Egyptian culture,Mawoodcaptures Hafez at the height of his powers. Featuring a full orchestra, and the virtuosic Omar Khorshid on guitar, Hafez's mixing of traditional Arabic music with modern instrumentation, so that notes of 70s avant-funk, reminiscent of David Axelrod, or Gainsbourg'sHistoire de Melody Nelson,ebb and flow into the predominantly Egyptian sound, helps to make Mawood a true sui generisclassic.