Cairo, the 14th August, 2009


“Baladi wedding”

*** If only all weddings were like this one! If only the future life of the bride and the groom could be so bright and full of love as it seemed to be during this party (I truly hope it will be!).

*** I am a sucker for romance and the ultimate idealist when it comes to the BIG L: LOVE (real love, the “for all my life kind of love”).
Despite all the hypocrisy, lies and economical interests mingled into what egyptian and arabs call “love” (in 90% of the cases I personally know about) and despite all the terrible, ugly hearts I have been in touch with since I arrived in Egypt, I still believe that true love exists and that you can find, indeed, the “love of your life” with whom you can also live an amazing – sometimes hard and scary – existence since death do you part. Call me silly, call me a dreamer but I do know that kind of jewel is possible to be found and, when you do, you just know it´s right.

*** Arab and egyptian men will propose marriage to a woman for many reasons (not always the most honourable) and, usually, within an incredible time spam that can go from 5 minutes after he met you till 2 weeks of occasional dating.
The words “Let´s get married” run away from their mouths like out of control children whom you cannot keep sitting and quiet at the table.
In most, MOST of the cases, this request means literally “nothing” or “I want to take you to bed very often so let´s do it in a legal way”. It has no connection to my own idea of marriage (connecting and compromising to a life partner who is your passion, your lover, your best friend, your strength and your weakness and, above all, a partner for life with whom you envision waking up together every day, making love beyond lust and quick desire but out of a deep feeling that makes you want to kiss that man 24 hours per day for no reason).
That´s what I´m talking about, people!
The REAL THING!
Not the “I´m so horny that I would marry you just to jump into your pants” kind of marriage but the one who connects two individuals as life partners. I can see I am an outsider, no doubt about it!

*** I can only hope last night´s wedding was one of “my type” of weddings. I can only wish…

*** Why was I at the wedding?
To deliver a present to the couple. The groom is the son of one of my musicians, the chief of my orchestra who happens to be (contrary to what gossips had reported to me when he first started working with me) my main support within the band and all the world itself. He´s not a musical genius like Mozart but he´s professional, honest (a great plus when you´re talking about egyptian musicians), not even a bit sleazy (another major plus) , punctual, straightforward and all the things most egyptian aren´t. For that reason, I respect him and like him very much.
All his family is composed by musicians, singers and composers. Music runs in their veins and the request for me to perform at this wedding was a communal, family thing. Several elements of the “Von Trapp family” personally called me asking if I would give them the honour of performing at this wedding.
When my own musician asked me how much I charged for this job, I didn´t have the guts to charge him. Somehow, and even erroneously, I consider my musicians like a second family. You just don´t take money from your family.
No discussion about that.

*** How was the wedding?
Amazing is not enough to describe this night. Not only was I treated with total reverence, tenderness and appreciation as the show itself was the easiest, most fluid thing I´ve ever done. Everybody was expecting me in full excitement.
My own orchestra and some invited musicians came to play and make part of the show.
People were very close from me, both physically and emotionally. I could see my musician´s brother (who is a composer and already knew me) crying like a baby when I entered the improvised stage they prepared for me.
Everybody went crazy and yet, very respectful and careful with me.
I heard more “thank you´s” tonight than I´ve ever heard during my whole life.

*** What did I feel?!

Well…a hard one to answer. I felt grateful for being part of an event that celebrates LOVE and two human beings coming together.
I felt – very clearly – people´s warm appreciation towards me and a space of creativity where I could be myself without effort, no trying to please anyone or any kind of professional pressure. When people are sure you´re the best, you just give them the best with no effort. One of Nature´s laws.
I felt pure joy, tenderness from all the women present in the salon and a reverence that stopped guests and even bride/groom to join me on stage (as it usually happens during egyptian weddings).
I looked at the bride and the groom sitting on their kitch golden chairs and they also had tears in their eyes. Holding hands and staring at me, I could also see their heartfelt “thank you” for my presence, my dance, my good wishes floating from my dance, my gesture of offering them the show.

They were truly grateful because I offered them the show but, in the end, I was to one who felt most cherished and as if someone had delivered me an incredible gift.
One of beautiful life´s irony. They have given me more than I´ve given them.
What a night!!! Toasting to LOVE, the REAL ONE, the reallllllll onneeee…
YES!