# Basem Darwisch

Basem Darwisch (Arabic: باسم درويش) (born April 1966) is an Egyptian–German composer, producer and oud virtuoso. He is the founder of Cairo Steps Ensemble, He is the first musician in the Middle East to be awarded the German golden jazz award in 2018 and 2021.

## Education

Darwisch studied German linguistics at Ain Shams University and classical music at the Arabic music academy in Cairo. He won prizes for Best Oud Player in 1985 and 1986.
By the end of 1986 he had moved to Austria and then Germany, where he studied Egyptology and ethnology at Heidelberg University.

## Career

Darwisch started his professional carrier in 1986 at the Theatre of AlTali'aa in Cairo with the Egyptian composer Waguih Aziz, In 1994 he joined the folklore group Salamat in Germany with Sudanese and Egyptian musicians. He played with Salamat for many years in France, Spain, England and Germany.
Darwisch joined many Afro Egyptian and Arabic groups in Europe between 1994 and 1997. Then in 1997 in Berlin with Hossam Shaker they founded new form of the Egyptian group Rahalah, with different concerts, workshops in Spain, Germany and Egypt.
In 1999, he joined Sharkiat band for Fathy Salama, Grammy award 2005 winner in concerts in Cairo opera house, El Qalaa Festival and Alexandria in Egypt. In 2000 Darwisch joined Mohamed Mounir Band and played with Mounir Concerts in Morocco, Berlin and other European cities.
In 2000, Darwisch formed with the German pianist Matthias Frey and former BAP Saxophonist Büdi Siebert an oriental jazz Trio with Concerts in Germany and Egypt.

## Discography

Bassem Darwisch led his team, Cairo Steps, to produce 5 albums and a large number of singles:
Albums and Singles :
| Year of Release | Album Name | Content | Notes |
| 2012 | Oud Lounge | Cairo Steps* Memories Triomania Samai Darwisch Sun Rise Taqsim Oud Alpha Omega Desert Road Min Awel Lamsa | *Cairo Steps was redistributed in another version and released on the same album |
| 2016 | Arabiskan | Sultan Nubian Groove Shams Amber Siwa** Bokra Alif La Sua Bucca Arabiskan* | *Ali El Helbawy sang Arabiskan in Flying Carpet album **The song (My God) was sung by Marwa Nagy with Siwa Music. |
| 2016 | Silk Road | Voyage Oriental Jaipur Express Constantinople Dance Palace Floating On Syr Darya Riders Of Tashkent Feathers and flames Samarkand 1001 The Prince Of Turfan Taklan Makan Moon Over Issyk kul Market Of Kashgar | |
| 2017 | Flying Carpet | Sansibar Khaliji Steps Shams Dance Du Nil Arabiskan | |
| | Electronic Music (With: Sam Shure) | Iboto Mirage Sultan Arabiskan | |
| | Soundtrack | Seven to One | |
| | Inspirational Music | Oud Mood of the day | |
| | Inspirational Music | Duduk and Oud dialog mood | With Ragheed William |
| 2014 | Singles | Gnossienne No.1 | Remix feat Sheikh Ehab Younis |
| 2014 - 2015 | Singles | Je nai nan | feat Sheikh Ehab Younis, Ali El Helbawy, Monica George and Peter Ghattas. |
| 2014 | Singles | I can Say | feat Maher Fayez. |
| 2015 | Singles | Aripsalin | feat Monica George and Peter Ghattas. |
| 2015 | Singles | Mariam | feat Monica George and Peter Ghattas. |
| 2015 | Singles | Beredak | Remix feat Marwa Nagy |
| 2015 | Singles | Al Mokhtar | Remix feat Marwa Nagy |
| 2015 | Singles | Gnossienne | New Remix |
| 2017 | Singles | Palladio | New Remix |
| 2017 | Singles | Adagio | Remix feat Sheikh Ehab Younis |
| 2020 | Singles | Malek ElMolk | feat Sheikh Ehab Younis |

## Awards

On 19 April 2018, Cairo Steps Founder Basem Darwisch collected The German Jazz Music award at Berlin ceremony with the ensemble members including Inas Abdeldayem, Minister of Culture of Egypt, The ensemble received the award for their album Flying Carpet, which they created with German band Quadro Nuevo.
On 12 October 2021, Basem Darwisch collected The German Jazz Music award with Quadro Nuevo for his track "Cafe Groppi" in their album "MARE".