Despite the sizeable traffic jam, despite the loud noise from cars in the street near Al-Ataba Square which is one of Cairo’s most crowded, despite the clamor of street vendors selling their wares in the street — despite all this, there is a kind of music in the air. This music is not coming from today but from an earlier time and from a singer who does not resemble those of today. From one particular store on the street, this street which was once full of musicians and of shops making instruments, the sound of old and much-loved songs were coming — the music of Muhammad Abdul Wahab, one of Egypt’s most popular composers and singers. In the store, an 80-year-old man sits quietly, selling musical instruments to those who still find their way to the shop.

He is known to all as Uncle Saeed. On his back are more than seven decades of experience and memories. He is talking about when he first arrived in this street. He came from Ismailiya with a passion for music. Even at that young age, he was pragmatic enough to realize that he could not possibly compete with the giant singers of the day — Umm Kalthom, Layla Murad and Muhammad Abdul Wahab. He decided to channel his love of music and song into the making and selling of musical instruments. Uncle Saeed reclined in his chair, glass of tea in hand and reminisced, “I was a careful worker and I loved my job. Soon I had a good reputation and people from all over came to my shop; they wanted me to make musical instruments for them. In those days, I made drums from the skins of goats and it took three months to finish one.”

He continued, “Everything was handmade in those days. Now, however, all the musical instruments come from abroad and they have finished off our work. If you look at the stores in this street, you’ll see none but imported instruments. These days people will not wait for something special and beautiful to be made for them; they want something on the spot, something ready to take away at that very minute. I can remember when all the shops in this street had something to do with music but now, there are all kinds of shops here.” He smiled and recalled, “In the past, I knew many singers before they became famous; they came here to buy their instruments and other items related to their music. I remember Fareed Al-Atrash coming here before he became famous; he made his own instrument. Times have changed now and there is so much noise in the street that people here can’t listen to music any longer.” The name of the street, laid out in 1845, is Muhammad Ali Street; it commemorates one of modern Egypt’s first rulers and the one who set the country on the road to development. The old buildings in the street are still strong and they have prevented newer ones from being built there. The famous musical group ‘Hasaballah’ began in Muhammad Ali Street. The group’s story goes back to the early 20th century when a German circus band came to Cairo. Three young Egyptian men joined the band which then returned to Germany. It was not long after, however, that the band returned to Egypt and set itself up in Muhammad Ali Street. The influence of the street and its inhabitants was felt by the group which made their own band and even included a woman as a member. They did shows in the shops and clubs in the street and gradually, the area became known as a source of music and entertainment.

In the street there is a store which has been there for a long time; it specializes in making ‘oud’ — the Arab guitar or lute. The store’s owner, Abdullah, was making an oud when we visited and was telling and showing his workers how to paint it. Abdullah said that making ouds was the oldest profession in the street. He explained, “Our main customers these days are musical institutions and some tourists, both Arab and foreign, who want to buy an oud as a present. Our business has been harmed by imported musical instruments but we are teaching our children how to make an oud by hand and so we are saving this craft from extinction.” He talked about the ‘Hasaballah’ musical group and said that Hasaballah was the name of one of the members. It was he who started the group and called it Hasaballah. Members used to dress in British military uniforms and were often asked to play at imiportant weddings and other celebrations. In those days, they even played the royal anthem. Though the group no longer exists — and hasn’t for many years — it is still remembered and many others are trying to do as it once did.