Maurice Louca

As a composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, Maurice Louca brings uncanny intuition and intrepid collaborative energy to a wide range of solo endeavors and group projects. His visionary work encompasses psychedelic shaabi music, cosmic jazz, and free-form improvisation, pushing the boundaries of artistic possibility. Born and raised in Cairo, Egypt, Louca plays in The Dwarfs of East Agouza with avant-punk icon Alan Bishop and experimental composer Sam Shalabi. He formed the trio Lekhfa—known for their 2017 album of the same name—with the celebrated singer/actor Maryam Saleh and iconoclast composer/buzuq player Tamer Abu Ghazaleh. Louca’s 10-member ensemble, Elephantine, features jazz musicians from Italy, Sweden, and Germany. Of course, he is also known for several acclaimed solo albums, including 2014's Benhayyi Al-Baghbaghan (Salute the Parrot), 2019's Elephantine, and 2021's Saet El Hazz (The Luck Hour).