Photo by Judith Burrows
Samy Bishai
Violin
SAMY grew up in Alexandria, Egypt, and received a classical training on the violin. He began to play professionally at 18, working with Alexandria Chamber Orchestra while maintaining a lively interest in Arabic pop and jazz.
In 2000 he moved to London, and has since forged a career as a live session player in fields as diverse as jazz, pop, electronica and hip-hop. He has recorded string arrangements for releases by artists like Terry Hall, Mushtaq, Lemar and Tyler James, and has also scored a short film, The Bridge.
He joined the Seckou Keita Quartet in 2005, stepping into the shoes of Riti player Juldeh Camara, whose inspiration on his own distinctive sound within the group he is quick to acknowledge.
