Dina El Wedidi | Samora Pinderhughes

The rich melodic culture of Egyptian music from Dina El Wedidi is set alongside the harmonically sophisticated sounds of American jazz mixed with RnB and post-rock by Samora Pinderhughes. It’s an intimate, cross-boundary double bill, the first of two this weekend that, as The Arts Center’s Executive Artistic Director Bill Bragin put it, “continues The Arts Center’s tradition of highlighting visionary artists whose work defies easy categorisation”.

El Wedidi last performed at The Arts Center in its inaugural 2015-2016 season as part of the Nile Project. Her innovative approach has earned her a significant reputation on the regional and global stage; her music is influenced by Egyptian folk music and Arab poetry, resonating with the beauty of cultural diversity. The show features a selection of songs from her previous albums and new singles, presenting her as both a singer and music composer and showcasing different chapters in her remarkable career.

Samora Pinderhughes is a pianist, vocalist, and composer who commits himself to making art in his everyday life. Through honest lyrics and harmonic language, his work delves into the things society tries to hide – its history, its structures, the individual, and the daily things we all experience but don’t know how to talk about. With a musical style that cuts across multiple genres, his performance is an invitation for the audience to express themselves and their inner thoughts by feeling things deeply and focusing on how we all live.

There will be a night souk as well, with 40 retail vendors offering locally made artisan products, including handmade soaps, candles, local artwork, jewellery, home décor, and pottery. And if you want to take the second concert in this weekend series as well, there’s a two-day pass available at AED 155.