Apr. 19- One of the most ancient and revered of all the East African musical cultures is that of Egypt, and we’ll delve into history and some of the remarkable new artists emerging from this country at the foot of the Nile. From truly ancient roots, which have been influential on all Middle Eastern music, Egyptian instruments like the simsimiyya (lyre/ harp) and various flutes have been played for thousands of years, and continue to be popular in contemporary folk music. The lush orchestral pop music of the forties and fifties is also a continuing tradition, along with Shaabi, the dance music of all of the Arabic world.