What's On in Rock Island

Cairo-based Maurice Louca’s genre-defying music bridges psychedelic Egyptian shaabi, cosmic jazz, and free improvisation. He co-founded Lekhfa, performs with The Dwarfs of East Agouza, and leads the 10-member Elephantine ensemble. Fera is the latest album from Egyptian composer and multi-instrumentalist Maurice Louca, released on Simsara Records in May 2025. The nine-track record centers on polyrhythmic grooves and vibrant acoustic textures; violin, synthesizers, custom-built microtonal guitars, and percussion. Jack Lion’s members unearth the early ’00s interest in connections between jazz and electronic music and refashion it for this current era. Striking a balance between jazz composition, down-tempo break-beats, and hazy atmospherics they have made their mark as one of Iowa City’s headiest and most adventurous bands.

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