Egyptian Danza
Encyclopedia
Egyptian Danza is a composition by Latin jazz-fusion guitarist Al Di Meola
. He first recorded it in 1977 for his album Casino
and also recorded in live in Philadelphia in February 1982. It later appeared on his 1994 album Essence of Al Di Meola. Heavily influenced by Arabic music and Ancient Egyptian music, the distinctive exotic middle-eastern mystical sound and atmosphere of the piece comes from the C-sharp Phrygian dominant scale
, which is composed from the fifth degree of an F-sharp harmonic minor scale. When Di Meola performs it live the piece is characterised by muting at the top of the fretboard in parts and by very fast sporadic picking. Although he performs the piece on an electro acoustic guitar parts of the piece are played as on an electric guitar. It features violins and Latin conga
s in the background. The original album recording featured Mingo Lewis.
Al Di Meola
Al Di Meola is an acclaimed American jazz fusion and Latin guitarist, composer, and record producer of Italian origin. With a musical career that has spanned more than three decades, he has become respected as one of the most influential guitarists in jazz to date...
. He first recorded it in 1977 for his album Casino
Casino (Al Di Meola album)
Casino is a 1978 album by Latin jazz fusion guitarist Al Di Meola.-Track listing:#"Egyptian Danza" – 5:56#"Chasin' the Voodoo" – 5:05#"Dark Eye Tango" – 5:23#"Señor Mouse" – 7:21...
and also recorded in live in Philadelphia in February 1982. It later appeared on his 1994 album Essence of Al Di Meola. Heavily influenced by Arabic music and Ancient Egyptian music, the distinctive exotic middle-eastern mystical sound and atmosphere of the piece comes from the C-sharp Phrygian dominant scale
Phrygian dominant scale
In music, the altered Phrygian scale or Freygish scale , featuring an unusual key signature and a distinctive augmented second interval, is the fifth mode of the harmonic minor scale, the fifth being the dominant...
, which is composed from the fifth degree of an F-sharp harmonic minor scale. When Di Meola performs it live the piece is characterised by muting at the top of the fretboard in parts and by very fast sporadic picking. Although he performs the piece on an electro acoustic guitar parts of the piece are played as on an electric guitar. It features violins and Latin conga
Conga
The conga, or more properly the tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed Cuban drum with African antecedents. It is thought to be derived from the Makuta drums or similar drums associated with Afro-Cubans of Central African descent. A person who plays conga is called a conguero...
s in the background. The original album recording featured Mingo Lewis.