Bob Azzam

Bob Azzam was born on October 24, 1925, in the cosmopolitan port city of Alexandria, Egypt. Growing up in a vibrant Mediterranean crossroads of cultures, he became fluent in Arabic, French, Italian, and English. After training in electronic engineering, he served in the British Royal Navy during World War II before dedicating his life to orchestra music in post-war Cairo and Beirut.

Relocating to Europe in the late 1950s, Azzam formed an eclectic dance orchestra that headlined glamorous Riviera nightspots in Monaco, Cannes, and Geneva. In 1960, he recorded the festive Mediterranean dance song 'Mustapha', featuring an irresistible blend of French, Arabic, and Italian lyrics set to an infectious mambo-cha-cha rhythm: 'Chérie je t'aime, chérie je t'adore, como la salsa del pomodoro!'

The song exploded into an unprecedented international pop sensation, reaching #1 across France, Belgium, and Italy, and spending fourteen weeks on the UK Singles Chart. Azzam followed this with hits such as 'Fais-moi le couscous, chéri' and 'C'est écrit dans le ciel', winning the prestigious Grand Prix du Disque of the Académie Charles Cros. A beloved figure on the European entertainment circuit, he performed across the globe until his passing in Monaco on July 24, 2004.