Hamza El Din

Hamza El Din was an Egyptian Nubian composer, oud player, tar player, and vocalist. He was born in southern Egypt and was an internationally known musician of his native region Nubia, situated on both sides of the Egypt–Sudan border. After musical studies in Cairo, he lived and studied in Italy, Japan and the United States. El Din collaborated with a wide variety of musical performers, including Sandy Bull, the Kronos Quartet and the Grateful Dead. He was also a mentor and teacher to many musicians, such as Scott Cossu and Joan Baez. He recorded several albums for different labels, such as Vanguard Records, Nonesuch Records, and Sounds True. His music was influenced by the traditional Nubian culture and the Nile river, as well as by the modern world. He was known for his distinctive style of playing the oud, the short-necked Arabian lute, and the tar, a frame drum. He also sang in both Arabic and his native Nubian language. His compositions were often used in ballet performances and plays. He died of heart failure in 2006 at the age of 76. He was survived by his wife Nora Guthrie, the daughter of folk singer Woody Guthrie.