At 2:00 today the NPR program "Sound Check" will talk about the fusion between Middle Eastern and Western music. Apparently Bono was in Fes (who knew?)

It will probably be available to listen to online later today or tomorrow if you miss it.



http://www.wnyc.org/shows/soundcheck/episodes/2007/07/09

I've been hearing Middle Eastern rhythms in American rap and hiphop music for some time now. 'Bout time Bono got with the program !

yup... and Sting jumped on that bandwagon many years ago - he's always been a "trendsetter". If Bono thinks this is something "new" he's delusional!

AMEN to that!!!! I LOVE Sting. I have really been a fan of his for his whole career. One of his interviews he talked about how important and exciting it was to work with different cultures and explore the sounds that came out of that.

so trueabout ME sounds being in hiphop a long time now...

i went to that festival in fes two years in a row. glad i didn't see any celebrities there and the pandemonium that follows them!

here are some pics of one of the stage settings:

You are absolutely right. I've been with Hicham for over seven years now and he introduced me to some Middle Eastern artists. I can remember from then on hearing tinges of Middle Eastern music in some songs. It has definitely gained some ground the last couple of years.

Hubby & I have been watching some of the Fes Festival on satellite for awhile now. I love it! I hope to make it to that festival at some point when we travel home to visit family.

Since you've told me about these music festivals, I'm going to make a point to try and schedule trips during those times so that I can go to one!

you totally should! there are loads of them all over morocco during the summer with all kinds of music! these are the two i went to:

http://www.fesfestival.com/

http://www.festival-gnaoua.net/

U2 first used north african rhythms on actung baby CD...Bono ....he's no late comer.

One of my favorite Morrocan influenced rock songs is "Yallah" by Robert Plant and Jimmy Page.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhHVydywQJc

That was really cool. Looks like they are in Jema La 'Fna in Marrakesh, right?



If I'm not mistaken, wasn't "Mysterious Ways" filmed in Morocco. Seems like I may have heard that or read that somewhere.

In Essaouira and Fes




I had the biggest crush on Jimmy Page when I was 13.

It doesn't get much better than Page!!!

IMO, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Hendrix....I honestly can't pick b/w those four as to who is the ultimate guitar player. Each a very different sound and original. I just couldn't pick.

What do the rest of you think?

Hendrix.

Thanks for sharing. That was interesting.

I love middle eastern music even though I cannot understand it, lol (ok except for a few words habibi and habak and things like that:)

I love Sting's song "Desert Rose" done with one of the arab artists. That is one of my favorite songs:)

And how about the real middle eastern music....Kazam Al Saher, Amir Diab, and now I am liking a song by Fulla called "Ente Habibi" I only know the worsd "ente habibi" and "ente hayati" in the song but that is enough to make it my special song for my habibi;)

That other artist with Sting is Cheb Mami- one of Algeria's (and all of MENA's) greatest voices of all time . (Henia will you back me up here? )

One of the last cds Cheb Mami did was a set of duets with artists from all over the world. It is not his best work, but there are some great songs on it esp the one with Zucchero of Italy- Cosi Celeste. The CD is called Du Sud au Nord

If you really like Desert Rose, have you heard Sting and Mami sing Brand New Day? The song says it features mami, but I just can;t hear his voice in it LOL

ETA: My favortie Mami CD of all time is Dellali. There isn;t a bad song on this one.

LOVE Kazem Al Saher! He's one of the few Mid Eastern artists that makes tasteful video clips for his songs. He's always dressed perfectly, too. He's also my MIL's favorite.