Musical street glory fades away

Yomna Kamel MIDDLE EAST TIME STAFF
No area in Egypt has been witness to generations of musicians, singers, actors and belly-dancers like Muhammad Ali Street. From Egyptian music pioneers, Said Darwish, Saleh Abdel Hay, Abdel Ghany Al Said, and Al Sonbaty to the Shaabi (popular) music stars, Adawiya and recently Abdel Baset Hamouda, the street has been a home for hundreds of them.

Constructed by Muhammad Ali over a century ago to be the route from his royal palace near the citadel to downtown where Al Azbekiyya park was, Mohammed Ali Street became one of the most famous spots for music in the Arab world.

Over the years however the street has been slowly losing its allure for the rich and famous musicians who once frequented its coffee shops, shopped in its musical instrument stores and lived in the buildings overlooking the street.

"Muhammad Ali street was just few steps from Emad Al Din street's theaters and nightclubs. Belly dancers, singers, and musicians liked residing in a street close to their work places," says George Jamil Georgy, owner of a workshop for oud (lute) manufacturing.

Georgy says his father left Syria for Egypt in 1906 and established his shop on the street which even back then was well known across the Arab world as a center for musicians, singers and belly dancers.

Today a variety of other stores, namely nameplate and stamp manufacturers have made their mark on the street while the musical atmosphere of the street recedes in their wake. Georgy's shop was one of dozens of workshops that manufactured the oud and currently only a few remain.

"It is the oldest shop in Muhammad Ali that manufactures and sells ouds.

Said Darwish, Saleh Abdel Hay, and Al Hefnawy were among my father's clients," he says. In addition to these musical greats, the street was frequented by Umm Kalthoum and Abdel Wahab.

"The number of shops has been dwindling since the late 1960s with new Western musical instruments competing with the oud," says Georgy. "The guitar was first used in Umm Kulthoum's song, "Inta Omri" (You Are My Life), composed by Abdel Wahab in 1967, and then it started competing with the oud," explains Georgy.

It was more than the introduction of Western music which began to alter the street's atmosphere and importance in the music scene. Numerous economic and social changes had a deep impact on the street's character as well.

The atmosphere of the area, including being known as a place that produces famous belly dancers like Fifi Abdou, began to change dramatically in the 1980s.

"Everything was going well before the 1980s. Belly dancers were not embarrassed to sit in public waiting for clients because Muhammad Ali's residents knew each other and strangers were afraid to bother anyone for the way they dressed or behaved," says Said Khalil, owner of Kawkab Al Sharq Cafe.

Known as Sharia Al Fan (The Street of Art), Muhammad Ali had been a destination for most young singers, musicians and belly-dancers. They used to move to the street, sometimes along with their families, from different parts of Egypt.

According to Khalil, it is the way society looks at Muhammad Ali's artists that pushed most of them to leave the area or simply quit their professions.

Al haram Street's nightclubs in Giza have also hurt the area as it has drawn much of the talent away. No longer found are the young aspiring actress/dancers like Sabrine and Lucy who were raised in the neighborhood.

Young belly dancers and musicians have left for the most part to work in Al haram's nightclubs where they earn money and notoriety quickly.

"Negotiations over the cost of wedding parties where singers and dancers would perform were conducted and deals were made in the cafes. I used to open my cafe for 24 hours, seven days a week," says Khalil.

Despite the damage done to the street by social and economic transformations, the street is still remembered by some of those who made it big here.

"Said Darwish, among dozens of other musicians, left Alexandria and stayed in Muhammad Ali Street for some time. After becoming famous they moved to the new areas and changed their lifestyle, but never forgot the place which helped them to be successful," says Georgy.

Still, there are some stars of today who keep the atmosphere charged with their presence. They may have a different level of fame than those of the past and are considered a bit outside the mainstream, but the fact they chose this area instead of Al haram is testimony to its past greatness.

"Every day by 6pm, musicians, singers and belly dancers used to sit in Muhammad Ali's cafes waiting for people who wanted them to perform at their wedding parties," says Khalil.

Currently, there is a mutahed (party agent), who acts as a middle man between people who want to throw parties, and belly-dancers and singers.

The mutahed usually sits in one of Muhammad Ali's cafes and negotiate with clients. Very few are still using the old system. Among them is the popular singer Abdel Baset Hamouda who sits with his band in Kawkab Al Sharq cafe waiting for clients calling him for wedding parties.