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El Tanbura Between the Desert and the Sea (World Village) El Tanbura is a collective of veteran Egyptian master musicians, singers, fishermen and philosophers. They hail from Port Said, the gateway to the Suez Canal and the world beyond. Like their hometown, El Tanbura boast influences from east and west (and north and south): Gallibiya, Levis and Gucci sunglasses, fez and Nike caps jostle for prominence. Their music is driven by the seductive call of the simsimiyya - an ancient lyre dating back to the Pharaohs, revered both for its mesmerizing properties and occult origins in ancient exorcism rituals. Founded in 1989, El Tanbura, and they have also collaborated with One Giant Leap on the forthcoming film, 2sides2everything. Listen: Sar A Lay Waziery

Review from The Guardian (UK): From Port Said, by the Mediterranean end of the Suez Canal, come a collective of musicians and fishermen who deserve to become one of the most successful bands in Egypt. Driven on by a battery of hand drums, El Tanbura mix chanting vocals with the desert flute, the nay, and the ancient lyre, the simsimiyya, that looks like something you'd find on a painting in a Pharoah's tomb. This nine-piece band is best experienced live, when they can gradually build up their lengthy, trance-like songs to a furious dance finale. On CD, their songs are far shorter, but still with intense bursts of chanting and insistent percussion matched against slower, devotional pieces featuring harps and lyre. There's impressive variety here, and some intriguing lyrics. Zayy El Nharday (The Canal Song) is a rousing celebration written to mark the 50th anniversary of the Suez crisis and Nasser's nationalisation of the canal.

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