Music from the East

Musician and composer Ammar El Sherei (1948-2012) is a giant of Egyptian music. Born in Upper Egypt in 1948 into an upper middle-class family (his grandfather was MP during King Fouad's reign and his eldest brother became the Egyptian ambassador to Australia), El Sherei attended a special school for the blind in Cairo (he lost his eyesight in his early childhood). He got noticed by his teachers there who recommended him to the Hadley School for the Blind in America so he could perfect his studies through a correspondence course. Thanks to this, he quickly learnt piano, oud and composition.

Once his studies completed, El Sherei began playing in various Cairo bars and clubs and quickly made a name for himself on the Cairo music scene. He also started writing songs for many established Egyptian artists and quickly rose to fame, becoming one of the most sought-after composers for films and TV series.

in 1976, El Sherei signed to leading Egyptian label Soutelphan and recorded "Music from the East" an hommage to the leading Egyptian composer Mohamed Abdel Wahab. On the album - like on its predecessor "Oriental Music" (reissued in 2020 by Wewantsounds), El Sherei masterfully interprets classics from Abdel Wahab including "Enta Enta," "El Kamh El Leila" and "Balad El Mahob" (popularised by Oum Kalthoum).

With the help of innovative keyboards of the time, such as the Steelphon S900 or the Farfisa (as seen on the album cover), El Sherei creates hypnotic instrumentals that blend traditional Arabic melodies with jazz, funk and groove. Popular with vinyl collectors and diggers alike, "Music from the East" is a sought-after gem on the international Arabic Funk scene. Wewantsounds is delighted to make this unique album available again on vinyl for the first time since it's original release in 1976.