Loading details…
Artist
Sayed Mekkawy
12+ albums
oud
about
Sayed Mekawy(1927-1997) ( Arabic:سيد مكاوي ) , Egyptian singer and composer Mekawy was born in Cairo Sayeda Zeinab district of Al-Nasriya on May 8, 1927. Sayed Mekawy, became popular in Egypt and the Arab world; his music has become part of Arab heritage. The great Egyptian composer and singer Sayed Mekawi died on April 21, 1997, aged 70. Throughout his life, he remained undaunted by modern innovations and the attempts of rivals to produce another type of music. When his father died, Mekawy cried for days. Later, the pain eased, but the tears kept flowing. Doctors were powerless either to diagnose his condition or to stop the tears. One day, however, he could no longer see. This affliction did not prevent him from learning the Qur'an or becoming an Azharite scholar. Having been trained in the art of reciting the Qur'an, Mekawy's voice could soar, gruff but powerful, to thrill his listeners. He sang solo using his lute at numerous concerts, though this is not what brought him fame, or confirmed his status as one of the most gifted and popular composers of oriental music. What brought him fame, however, was the unforgettable character of al-Missaharati, the man who announces the pre-dawn meal during the month of Ramadan, that he and Fuad Haddad created in 1951. A popular figure during the holy month, the Missaharati was given new life by Haddad's words and Mekawy's music. Composed to the beat of the traditional "Tabla" (Drum), it stirs up feelings of patriotism, nationali