Hamza El Din, 1929-2006

Just got the sad news that Hamza El Din died last Tuesday from complications after brain surgery at Alta Bates Hospital in his adopted hometown of Berkeley.

The artist and musician was probably the Nubian musician best known outside of Egypt and Sudan (Nubia lies across their borders, around Lake Nasser). His songs told of the Nubians' loss of their homeland--many who lived along the river were uprooted by the Egyptian government when it built Aswan Dam.

I saw Hamza El Din in concert in 2001 in Austin, and also got to hang out with him a bit on that trip. He was a really good person. It's sad to think that he's gone.

His official website and another website.