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 According to San Francisco radio producer Dore Stein, Egyptian
musician
Hamza
El Din passed away yesterday, May 22nd. He died from complications after brain
surgery at Alta Bates Hospital in Berkeley, California.
Hamza
El Dinn was responsible for the re-introduction of the ‘ud (an ancient Arab
instrument that is the precursor of the European lute) and other melodic
instruments to the music of Nubia, a land that until recently had changed little
since the time of the Pharaohs.
He was well known for several recordings, including
Escalay: The Water Wheel and
Eclipse, which was produced by Grateful Dead percussionist Mickey
Hart.
He appeared regularly with the Kronos Quartet, which commissioned him to
arrange Escalay: The Water Wheel for its chart-topping Pieces of Africa
album (Elektra/Nonesuch).
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