Mazaher is an ensemble in which women play a leading role. The musicians of Mazaher, are among the last remaining Zar practitioners in Egypt.

In its original form, the Zar is a healing ritual, one of the few, ancient healing ceremonies performed mainly by women for women. Zar is meant to pacify spirits and to harmonize the inner lives of the participants. Shunned by the religious establishment, the state and the official cultural elite, Zar is a part of the underground culture. The practice of Zar in Egypt has nearly vanished. Few musicians now make or play the tamboura. The Egyptian Centre for Culture and Art (ECCA) has brought together the last Zar performers and motivated them to engage in lengthy sessions of rehearsals, remembering and recording. As a result, in 2000 the group, Mazaher, was formed. The music of Mazaher is inspired by the three different styles of Zar music practiced in Egypt, the Egyptian or Upper Egyptian Zar, Abu Gheit Zar and the Sudanese, or African Zar. One of the African dimensions of Egypt, Zar music unfolds through rich poly-rhythmic drumming: its songs are distinctly different from other Egyptian music traditions.

Mazaher performs regularly at weekly musical evenings hosted by Makan in Cairo. The audience is diverse, ranging from the young, hip generation to people off the street to older fans, a mix of foreigners and Egyptians. In the end, everyone is up and dancing to these irresistible rhythms. Since 2002 MAZAHER performed in several European World Music Festivals, as in Belgium, France, Italy, Holland and Russia.