São Paulo – The Brazilian singer-songwriter Gilberto Gil played three concerts in the Arab countries since last Thursday (21st). Gil performed at Egypt’s Cairo Jazz Festival on Thursday, then at the Abu Dhabi Festival’s 10th edition on Sunday (24th), and in Tunisia on Tuesday (26th). He played the concerts alongside his son, the guitarist Bem Gil, and percussionist Gustavo Di Dalva. The Egyptian singer Dina El Wedidi joined Gil for a few songs.
At the concert in Abu Dhabi’s Emirates Palace, the Brazilian played famous originals such as “Rouxinol,” “Chicletes com banana,” “Eu vim da Bahia” and “Alapala”. He also sang Bob Marley’s “Three little birds" and John Lennon’s “Imagine," in English. Brazil’s former minister of Culture (2003-2008), Gil also sang songs in Spanish and French and spanned different styles such as samba-rock, bossa nova, samba, baião and Brazilian popular music (known as MPB).
The Abu Dhabi Festival’s artistic director Hoda Al Khamis-Kanoo said Gilberto Gil manages to transcend cultural and national boundaries through music to create a universal language.
“Brazilian music combines the rhythms of South America, Europe and Africa, and Gil has added his unique musical style to come up with something even more beautiful and original,” she said, according to information from the Abu Dhabi Festival.
Dina El Wedidi’s cameo is part of a project of hers and Gil’s. In 2012, he chose Wedidi to take part in the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative, a program in which renowned artists become the protégés of young talents. The two singers play together at various concerts. They paired up in Cairo for the songs “Aho Dah El-Sar” and “Hozn El-Ganoub.” “He is the best mentor I could ever wish for,” said Wedidi to Egypt’s Al-Ahram newspaper.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum