National Geographic Music (National Geographic)

Hamza el Din, known as the "Father of Nubian Music," died May 15th from complications following brain surgery in Berkeley, California. Born in Toshka, Nubia, Egypt, El Din's precise age was unknown, but he was approximately 75.

El Din is often credited as being the first Nubian musician to compose for the oud (a fretless, short-necked lute) as a solo instrument. He also played the tar (the ancient single-skinned frame drum of the upper Nile). He first came to the attention of American audiences in 1964 when he performed at the Newport Folk Festival—folk singer Joan Baez became a fan and brought him to the attention of Vanguard Records, which released his album, Music Of Nubia.

El Din's 1971 album, Escalay: The Water Wheel, released as part of the Nonesuch Explorer series, is generally agreed to be the most popular recording of traditional Egyptian folk music in the West—many consider it one of the most important albums in furthering the notion of world music as a genre.

Among those who were influenced by it were the Grateful Dead, who sometimes included El Din in their live performances. El Din also worked with the Dead in planning their legendary 1978 concerts in Egypt. That same year the Dead's Mickey Hart produced El Din's album Eclipse for the Rykodisc label.

El Din also worked with the Kronos Quartet. His 1999 recording A Wish featured that group's cellist Joan Jeanrenaud, along with composer and pianist W.A. Mathieu, Jordanian percussionist Hani Naser and Japanese diva Shizuru Ohtaka.