Samy Bishai

Anglo-Egyptian violinist, composer, producer and musical director Samy Bishai develops work situated between classical rigor, jazz improvisation, Arab musical traditions and contemporary electronics. Trained initially in the Western classical tradition, he has progressively expanded his language to arranging, production and hybrid formats where written material converses with improvisation. His violin playing is at home both on stage and in the studio, through an international career spanning touring, recording, film music and interdisciplinary projects. Over the course of his career Samy Bishai has collaborated with Natacha Atlas, Nitin Sawhney, Basement Jaxx, Brian Eno, Tom Jones and Shakira; his ongoing work with Natacha Atlas as arranger, producer and musical director blends orchestral textures, electronics and Middle Eastern influences. This trajectory places him in a musical space where score, artistic direction, composition and more open forms of improvisation coexist.