Until it found it was settled in Mısırlı Ahmet’s lap, the darbouka was like the stepchild of the orchestra, pushed around and not treated like a musical instrument. The goblet drum, remembered only in relation to Arabian melodies or belly dance music, found its personality in the hands of Mısırlı Ahmet. Evidently the darbouka was also searching for those fingers that would dedicate themselves to itself. With the new technique developed during his withdrawal period in the Sinai Desert by the Master who states, “You have to lose the rhythm first in order to discover it”; the darbouka has gained a brand new countenance eager to play all the rhythms of the world, it has almost been reborn.

“All musical instruments are innocent” says the Master. It is the musician who either glorifies or belittles the instrument. Today we are able to listen to a solo darbouka for one and a half hours and left yearning for more. For some time now, Mısırlı Ahmet has been performing for people “only” with his darbouka besides his group activities and concerts.
Let us ponder on this for a moment; a drum, a tumba or a bandir played on its own for one and a half hours… We can increase such examples. At first glance we cannot really envisage ourselves listening to any of these instruments without another “solo” instrument accompanying them, can we? Until very recently, giving a “solo concert” could have been only a grand dream for the darbouka also.