In 1998 Algerian-Egyptian music composer Abdel-Moneim Saeed, after experimenting with different sounds and ideas for years, reached a distinctive fusion he proudly calls his own. His goal has always been to create a musical and cultural dialogue between oriental and classical music.
In 1999, Saeed founded the Yorka project, basing the band on a concept of teamwork. And in 2001, Yorka Band gave its first concert at the Cairo Opera House to an enthusiastic audience. In the same year, he was honored during the Cairo International Music Festival at Salah Eldin Citadel in August, 2001. Since then, the group has given 34 concerts, 31 of them were at the Cairo Opera House.
In his compositions, Saeed blends two different music genres. To create his unique music, Saeed composes Andalusian music giving it a touch of Algerian Maloof tempos and arranging it in a classical style. Piano, western and oriental percussions, Ney (oriental flute), Spanish guitar and other string instruments are the backbone of Saeed’s music.
Saeed’s Algerian heritage was one of the aspects that attracted him to the Andalusian civilization as the countries of the North African Al Maghreb Al Arabi (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia) still preserve Andalusia's legacy and in the past were very close to the Spanish and Andalusian culture.
Saeed and his team members are currently working on reviving Andalusian musical heritage via an innovative, contemporary context.