Inspired by a concert in Cairo by Randy Weston in 1967 encouraging PanAfrican unity, drummer Ragab, Eduard 'Edu' Vizvari, a Czech jazz musician, and Hartmut Geerken of Goethe Institut vowed to create Egypt's first jazz big band. Following the Arab-Israeli war, Ragab became a Major in the Egyptian army and had unparalleled access to the military's 3000 musicians spanning Upper and Lower Egypt, along with a wide range of instruments. Part of the barracks were christened the Jazz House and, following a crash course in jazz history by Geerken, the Cairo Jazz Band was born, playing their first concert at Ewart Memorial Hall at the American University in 1969.
1) Oriental Mood (4.45)
2) Dawn (8.04)
3) Mervat (4.17)
4) Ramadan in Space Time (4.20)
5) Kleopatra (5.04)
6) Neveen (7.54)