Bassem is so passionate about music. He was a heavy metal drummer in the 1990s in Egypt, managed 2 Jazz bands a decade later, organizes two film festivals in Calgary, co-organizes the Sunday Sessions open mic in Canmore and currently writing his second play, a musical. Bassem has been a resident of Canmore for more than a year, and looks forward to supporting his new community and the Canmore Folk Music Festival as a new board member.