Mohammad Izaby, the Best of the Best

When I was a little boy, dad had my memorize one those old folksy Egyptian mawal, but someone I could not remember his name. Until few years ago, the mawal is by Egyptian Sha'abi king of folksy tales about love in the village in the old country. He flirts with the ladies by in such an innocent way, not a graphic way, but in a sweet and non-offensive way. The man who dominated Egyptian mawal for half a century, the man that made Egyptian sha'abi style relevant in many parts of the Arab world. He is the Egyptian answer to the Lebanese have their own Ouf Style, and so do the Iraqis. He is the godfather of Egyptian folksy music and has only endrosed two singer Hakeem and Hassan Al Asmar, according to the Izaby are the only two Egyptian singers who are good at Sha'abi style, everyone else is a poser.

His style of singing is telling a story, I saw this girl at standing next the to the street vendor, she is not buying any of his merchandise, so I approached her...and tale goes on. You might not know the iconic Mohammad Izaby, but you know his songs made famous by the likes of Walid Toufic and scores of other well known singers. The man just announced today "here" that he will be retiring from music. It's a sad day for his fans, but I am sure his music will be around with us for a long time. It already has been with us for 50 years now. My grandpa knows the Izaby songs by heart and so does my old man.

I got to know the man via his voice with a song he did few years ago with Diana Haddad, a duet about the pain of love and the heartache...it was a beautiful song and both of them complemented each other. It got young people interested in this legendary voice. Who till this day has his on stage charm and energy. Watch this clip from a concert he did recently and you will recognize some of those songs, but you all tell the man is a legend like those who do not live with us any longer.

محمد العزبى يغنى مجموعة مواويل +عيون بهية