RSVP

Dec 3 The Black Lab, Lille as Le Cri Du Caire
Nov 30 Le Florida, Agen as Le Cri Du Caire
Nov 24 TBA, Vienna
Nov 23 Algorythme, St Sulpice as Le Cri Du Caire
Nov 22 TBA, Marseille with Maurice Louca
Nov 18 Saint-Denis Jazz, St Denis as Abdullah Miniawy Trio
Nov 16 La Grande Boutique, Langonnet as Le Cri Du Caire
Nov 7 Espace 1789, Paris
Oct 25 Jao Photo Festival, Tunis as Abdullah Miniawy Trio with Erik Truffaz
Oct 22 Final Descent, Copenhagen as Le Cri Du Caire
Oct 19 Vicenza, Italy as Abdullah Miniawy Trio
Oct 15 Nancy Jazz Pulsation, Nancy as Le Cri Du Caire
Oct 12 Bee Flat Club, Bern as Abdullah Miniawy Trio with Erik Truffaz
Oct 11 Espace Germinal, Paris as Abdullah Miniawy Trio

Abdullah Miniawy’s art is constantly evolving, built on the foundations of his imagination. From his beginnings as a writer wielding a pen, Miniawy has expanded into a multi-instrumentalist and composer for choirs and various ensembles. His persona emerges in unexpected ways, as he steps from silence to video game programming, blending complex visuals with simple audiovisual work that redefines the musical composer’s perspective, embodying the spirit of a child in his creations. He occasionally sets aside his pen to grasp a 3D scanner, reflecting his evolving artistic process.

Abdullah Miniawy remarks: “I have always been intrigued by the essence of communication. Despite successfully engaging Western audiences and connecting through shared imagination, I dream of creating a unified space where everyone can experience a complete impression of my written and auditory work.”

Years ago, Miniawy has immersed himself in video game programming, utilizing tools such as C++, Unreal Engine, IClone, and Blender, to create a long-lasting, ethereal experience inspired by religious mythology and daily dilemma of existence.

The music for his project was composed partly at Inkonst Malmö and premiered in Intonal, following an invitation from Emmanuel Sandin for a residency. This period of detachment from prolonged artistic collaborations resulted in a monumental work comprising eleven sonic extensions, where Miniawy challenges the politically charged stereotypes surrounding foreign artists. He prefers his art to be seen as pure, free from the tarnished image often presented by the media as “the refugee artist.”

Miniawy, who studied international law before taking the stage, was warmly welcomed by the artistic community. His first major breakthrough occurred during the 2011 Egyptian Revolution in Tahrir Square, marking the beginning of his unique artistic language, one that defies conventions and resonates with the new generation of artists. His works leave a lasting impression.

“Nigma Enigma” is a musical journey that unfolds in the listener’s imagination, centered around the character of a skeptic who carries memories that have led him to reject the idea of a god. As he journeys toward a final celestial encounter in the court of the afterlife, each song and musical phrase conveys politically charged opinions. However, Miniawy suggests that the deepest freedom of expression lies in the personal connection between a human being and the divine, as this is where we can truly exercise our freedom without censorship today.

The album begins by introducing; “Heaven for non-believers”, followed by the listener’s entry into “Hotel in Thailand”, and a reflection on the passing of Miniawy’s father in the track “Fall Down Wiseman”. The music navigates through themes of mourning and disillusionment with life’s possibilities, touching on the fragility of human existence and creating a shared vision between two worlds. In the track “Telawa,” a journey of the boat to the final haven, Miniawy weaves imagery from our reality into the metaphysical, exploring the journey of the soul across different realms, and engaging in a dialogue between man, God, and the stars. His poetic lines in “Jayhano Al Kawahi” begin with: “I spit a line of water in the face of a star.”

In “Nigma Enigma,” Miniawy introduces two new languages—Italian and English—within his compositions, most notably in the tracks; ‘Hotel in Thailand’ and ‘Beatrice’. This shift marks a significant evolution in his artistic journey and represents a bold step in his efforts to communicate more effectively with Western audiences. He notes: “This is just the beginning of future works in languages that others can understand. We are breaking the rules.”

The project is produced by the Italian label Hundebiss Records with Phosphoric Passport. It is a unique Egyptian-French-Italian production, drawing from the worlds of academic art and music theory. As a result, the project will be available for online streaming and accompanied by a website nigmaenigma.com. In addition, limited editions of the album will be released on vinyl and SD cards to coincide with the launch of the video game.

Abdullah Miniawy (born 1994) is an Egyptian expressionist, a writer, singer, composer, and actor. Over the years, he has shared the stage with acclaimed artists such as Erik Truffaz, Kamilya Jubran, Yom, Médéric Collignon, Aly Talibab, A Filetta, Hvad, Ziur, Simo Cell, and many others.

Abdullah’s performances have graced prestigious international stages and venues, including the Festival d’Avignon edition 72, French national theaters, Institute of Contemporary Arts London, Haus Der Kunst museum in Munich, Mao Asian Museum in Turin, even the Louvre in Paris.

In addition to his music career, Abdullah proved his natural acting talent in Alaadine Slim’s “Tlamess,” a Tunisian feature film featured at the Directors’ Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival in 2019. The film achieved critical acclaim, winning the Best Full-Length Feature Film award at Kino Der Kunst 2020 and the Best Director Award at the Marrakech International Film Festival 2020. Abdullah was also recognized with a nomination and shortlisting for the Best Actor Award from the Arab Cinema Center at Cannes.

As a composer, Abdullah has created different soundtracks for dance shows, theater productions, and exhibitions, including notable works like “Cabaret Crusade III” by Wael Shawki premiered at Moma PS1, “AMDUAT” by Kirsten Dehlholm premiered at Hotel Pro Forma, and “Insurrection” by Jilani Saadi.

Abdullah Miniawy’s influence extends beyond the arts; he was selected by the European Parliament in Strasbourg as one of three change makers from the Schengen area to offer a French-Egyptian artist’s perspective on pressing contemporary challenges at the European Youth Event 2021 in the “Live Fully” section. He also participated in “Europe Takes Part,” a gathering of 30 diverse speakers discussing new economic models and digital solutions for artists in a post-pandemic world.

Since 2016, Abdullah has collaborated with the German trio Carl Gari, blending avant-garde electronic soundscapes with poetic lyrics. Their debut album, “Darraje,” was recognized as one of the top 50 albums of 2016 by the American NPR. Their recent release, “The Act of Falling from the 8th Floor,” garnered attention from Pitchfork, The Quietus, and Wire Magazine, with “Zawaj” ranking at the top of Resident Advisor’s list of “Deep Listening” tracks in 2019.

Most recently, Abdullah’s album “Le Cri Du Caire,” featuring Erik Truffaz, won LES VICTOIRES DU JAZZ 2023 award – the French equivalent of the Grammy Awards.

As a writer, his lyrics have left a mark in the Middle East region, notably during the Arab Spring, where they were displayed in places like the Yarmouk camp in Syria.

Composed, written, performed and mixed by Abdullah Miniawy
Mastered by James Ginzburg
Translated by Abdullah Miniawy except The Lord of the Whip translated by Sam Wilder
Produced by Phosphoric Passport and Hundebiss Records
Artwork Abdullah Miniawy
Layout Studio Garden
Thanks to Inkonst Malmö, Emanuel Sundin, Simone Trabucchi, Aly Talibab, Beatrice Bianchini, Kevin-Ademola Sangosanya

H046 – All rights reserved
(P)+(C) 2024 Abdullah Miniawy

The musical contents may not be published, broadcast, or redistributed in whole or part without express written permission