Afro-Chinese Art and Music festival to honor Yehya Khalil

CAIRO – 24 October 2017: The second edition of the Afro-Chinese Art and Music festival will kick off on October 25, and this edition will honor the legendary jazz musician Yehya Khalil.

The jazz pioneer is known for combining jazz tunes with oriental rhythms; attracting many music-loving youth.

He formed the Cairo Jazz Quartet, the first jazz band in Egypt, at the age of 14. Khalil shared the stage with a big number of famous rock, country and blues bands. He participated in joint performances with Rasputin’s Stash, and has performed with jazz music icons such as Oliver Jones, and

Dizzy Gillespie.

Khalil performed with Gillespie in the opening of the Cairo Opera House in 1989, according to Khalil’s official page. He cooperated with a number of Egyptian singers such as Mohamed Mounir, and currently presents jazz in the state-owned Egyptian channel. The festival is to kick off under the auspices of the Minister of Tourism Yehia Rashed.

This edition will also spice things up with a Latin twist. The Afro-Chinese Art and Music Festival will witness the participation of bands and troupes from 26 countries in Africa, Latin America; in addition to China and Egypt.