NEHAD EL-SAYED QUINTET

Nehad El-Sayed

Born in Cairo, Nehad El-Sayed studied oud at the Oud House in his hometown and later composition and music theory as well as jazz and media arts at the Hochschule der Künste in Bern, Switzerland. He has performed at renowned festivals in Cairo and Alexandria, as well as in Syria, Oman, Lebanon, Algeria, Jordan, Tunisia, Italy, and Switzerland, where he is currently based. He has composed works for various ensembles and orchestras and teaches at the Basel Music Academy and the Biel Music School. He has released the albums Water Wheel (2007), Yarns (2014), and, most recently, Jetzt (2016).

Nicole Johänntgen

Saxophonist Nicole Johänntgen received her education in jazz and popular music at the Mannheim University of Applied Sciences and in masterclasses with Dave Liebman and is currently studying musicology at the University of Zurich. She has performed with artists such as Daniel Powter, Roger Cicero, Eric Harland, Aaron Parks, Nils Landgren, Piet Klocke, and Cæcilie Norby and has released more than 15 albums, blending jazz with influences from classical music, film music, and funk. She leads the music business workshop SOFIA for female musicians and also gives workshops for children and adults with and without prior musical knowledge.

Ahmed Abdelsattar

Ahmed Abdelsattar received his education at the Academy of Arts in Cairo and works as a violinist, composer, and music educator. He was concertmaster of the Cairo Opera Orchestra for ten years and has performed with many other international orchestras and ensembles. He participated in the establishment of various institutions of musical education and has taught in Spain, Germany, the U.S., and Italy, among other countries.

André Buser

Swiss bassist André Buser specializes in Afro-Cuban music and has released three albums to date with his salsa band Picason. He has performed on stage with César Corréa, Ernesto Manuitt, Juan Munguía und Tomás “El Panga” Romas, among others. His musical partners also include Kenyan singer Eric Wainaina, Japanese koto player Karin Nakagawa, and soul singer Nubya. He teaches at Jazzcampus Basel and also works as an arranger and producer.

Nora Thiele

Nora Thiele is among the most versatile percussionists in Europe, specializing in frame drums. As a soloist, guest musician, and with her own ensembles she has performed throughout Europe, in the Middle East, and China blending early music, jazz, improvisation, and contemporary music. She studied traditional percussion, drum set, and piano in Leipzig and has been artistic director of Weimar’s Playground Festival since 2013.

Fowziyah AbuKhalid

As a poet, author, and scholar, Fowziyah AbuKhalid is among Saudi Arabia’s most important intellectual voices. In 1975, she published her controversial first volume of poetry Until When Will They Kidnap You on Your Wedding Night?. Her texts have been translated into English, German, and Italian, among other languages. In 2009, the first of nine volumes of her collected prose poems was published under the title Water of the Mirage. Holding a PhD in sociology and political science, she has taught at King Saud University and the University of Portland, among other institutions, and published numerous academic books and papers.