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The Art of the Early Egyptian Qanun. 2008. One CD (51:26). Performed by the Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble. Produced by George Dimitri Sawa. Ontario Arts Council/Conseil des Arts de l'Ontario. English notes by George Sawa. Distributed by CDBaby.com. ISBN 978-0-9809661-0-7.
Born in Alexandria, Egypt, George Sawa has lived in Toronto since 1970, where he completed his PhD in historical ethnomusicology. He is known for his qanun (78-string zither) performances of Egyptian folk, classical, and dance music, as well as his scholarly publications on Arabic musical practice, including his book Music Performance Practice in the Early Abbasid Era 132-320 AH/750-932 AD (1989). The Art of the Early Egyptian Qanun is one of five recordings nominated for a 2009 Canadian Juno Award in the World Music Album of the Year category. The accompanying 15-page booklet has photographs of the musicians and their instruments, informative notes about the repertoire and performers, and details of rhythmic patterns and melodic modes. Both the recording and booklet are important resources for musicians, scholars, dancers, and music libraries.
Performing with George Sawa, percussionist Suzanne Meyers-Sawa shows her...