George Dimitri Sawa Biography

Wholenote Magazine

"This is a thoroughly lovely compilation/tribute album to the qanun, featuring music that spans over two centuries dating back to the Ottoman court, and including Egyptian Sufi sacred dances as well as early 20th-century Egyptian dances. Local Arab music veteran and singular authority, George Sawa performs on a restored period psaltery dating back to the late 1800’s. He is deftly accompanied by Raymond Sarweh and Suzanne Meyers Sawa. They complete the soundscape with a consortium of percussive instruments made of animals skins, wood, clay and brass.

The qanun has an unusually impressive range, spanning three and a half octaves. The last track of the album, Khamsa Sa’idi is a set of five traditional Upper Egyptian songs and dances. They showcase the versatility of the instrument while at times allowing the listener to reflect with the punctuated jingle-jangle of tambourines centre stage.

Track three, Tribute to Mohammed Ali Street Composers, includes a spell-binding mélange of Sawa’s own improvisation and adaptations of anonymous traditional tunes.

My favourites are tracks 4, 6, and 8. The pieces harken to 17th-century instrumental preludes. Their neatly structured sequences recall the intricate patterns and mathematical geometry of a mandala. You can hear the contrast to the later works in their measured pace, and the melodies seem to confine themselves to the soothing lower registers. All of these pieces literally made me want to get up and dance – in fact, I did dance, and I hope you will too!”

(Heidi McKenzie, Wholenote, Toronto, June 1-Jul. 7, 2008).

What are people saying about the album The Art of the Early Egyptian Qanun

“Today I received your CD and couldn’t wait till I started running it. I ask you a question: ‘Why didn’t you produce this CD a long time ago.’ We are in a real need of such recordings, of such way of playing. You probably know what our Arabic music has been up to. Your performance is amazing, May God give you a long life to give us more. I really remember unforgettable ‘Aqqad, father and son, and ‘Abdel-Hamid el-Addabi and those who were playing qanun like that, though your style has a touch of George. It is excellent and I am waiting for more of yours.” (Ahmad Antar, virtuoso nay player, Cairo, Egypt).

“It is wonderful. I look forward to seeing you in person to shake the golden hands that made this CD.”
(Momo Kadous, Egyptian dancer and instructor, Frankfurt, Germany).

“I listen to this CD all day. It is more than excellent and takes me back to the old days”
(Mohamed Sadek, Egyptian drummer and dance instructor, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada).

“The music on this CD brings me to a different level, calms my mind and soul, and creates wide free space inside me for new ideas to come in.”
(Saida of Poland, winner of the 2008 Stockholm Belly Dance Festival).

“I love your music very much George. You are a wonderful artist.”
(Mayyadah, professional dancer, Pforzheim, Germany).

“What a lovely selection of pieces from various traditions. This old qanun is so resonant, and your beautiful technique makes it sing. Suzanne’s and Raymond’s percussion is so tight and precise it is altogether a pleasure. We need more.”
(Prof. Abraham Marcus, University of Texas, Austin).

“You have produced a wonderful CD! It can indeed serve as an introduction to Ottoman and Egyptian music and their differences in the modal and rhythmic systems. Your qanun, George, has a beautiful sound, and Suzanne has a real Egyptian, not to say Gipsy, temper. The recording is excellent and the booklet gives sufficient and precise information for laymen and interested professionals. Thus the CD has equally an artistic and pedagogical value which is rare on the musical market. We can only congratulate you on this exemplary recording and are glad to have it and can profit from it."
(Dr. Eckhard Nerbauer, Institute for the History of Arabic and Islamic Sciences, J. W. Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany).

“I am still dancing to your CD. I love it. Each time I listen to it, I find new nuances in the music. It is fantastic and I would recommend it to any dancer.” (Bozenka, Florida, USA, winner of the prestigious title Miss America Of The Bellydance in 2000, and Golden Crown Winner of the Ahlan Wa Sahlan Dance Festival in Egypt in 2006).

“Your CD is wonderful, all dancers and music lovers should have a copy of it.” (Habeeba Hobeika, a native of Alexandria, Egypt, dancer and director of Habeeba’s Dance Studio and Egyptian Dance Ensemble, Toronto, Ontario, Canada).

"Your music is inspiring to all of us. This CD is a must and it is highly recommended to every dancer. Even in Cairo, such wonderful music is missing as everyone is moving towards pop music. Your CD should be distributed in Egypt too. I personally will take one for my Dad. It is true, you are the master of the Qanun.” (Nada Krysko, Egyptian dancer and dance instructor, Hannan’s Belly Dance Studio, Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

“It is wonderful to finally have your musical eloquence on a CD for all to enjoy. Your contagious love of music shines through in every track.” (Yasmina Ramzy, Director, Arabesque Dance Company).

“I wish I can find the right words to describe this amazing CD! I went through many emotions while I was listening to certain tracks like Raqset el-Hawanem. It took me back to my days living in Egypt when I was a little girl. Of course the Qanun playing is superb. The track I know I will dance to is The Tribute to Mohammad Ali Street Composers. I felt this track from very deep within me. I almost felt like crying. I also like the Khamsa Sa‘idi track because I am always partial to real Upper Egyptian music. Another track I also love is Raqsa Suznak. Track Peshrev Rast makes me want to just relax and chill out! Sometimes I think may be I like this old traditional music because of my age, then again I remember how Amir (the Egyptian dancer) reacted to your playing. It makes me realize that this music is timeless and appealing to all ages.”
(Mervine Kerbes, Egyptian dancer and instructor, Red Deer, Alberta, Canada).

“I love your CD by the way! I listened to it last night….the music is so beautiful to me! I may be younger, but I have always loved the older more traditional Arabic music, as opposed to the modern/pop music. I do like some of the modern stuff, but there is something very organic, rich and pure about the music on your CD. I am very glad that you have put this CD together.”
(Serena Kerbes, Egyptian dancer, Calgaray, Alberta).

“I received the cd.....and I absolutely LOVE it! Thank you sooo much. I am so happy that you are sharing this wonderful music with the world. Somehow you were blessed with an unfair amount of talent!” (Marilou Calce, Arabesque Dance Company, Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

“I want to compliment you on your CD, it is lovely music, and I'm so glad you put it together, complete with information about the pieces.” (Ranya Renee, dancer, New York).

“The fascination of the ‘Thousand and One Nights’ is in this dazzling performance, a magic carpet ride from beginning to end.” (R. Murray Schafer, Canadian composer).

“My students are loving the music and I use your CD in my classes all the time. I taught a workshop recently on takseem and of course I used some of your music as an example.” (Linda Reed, dance instructor, Tennessee, USA)