Influences And Research

Influences

An Inspirational Gig 

Around 2000, I got the chance to see Natacha Atlas at the Wedgewood Rooms in Southsea. She was playing a few warmup dates before a nationwide tour. The most incredible thing about the gig is that she was accompanied by a 12-piece Egyptian orchestra. The first time that I had ever seen anything like this.  

Natacha Atlas / Transglobal Underground 

(A38 World, 2018b)

(Axukar y Kanela, 2010b)

An Inspirational Album

"Gedida" was an album by Natacha Atlas that I discovered around 1999 and became a firm favorite of mine. She combines original compositions using Arabic instruments with some traditional cover versions such as La Vie En Rose, originally recorded by Edith Piaf. 

(Natacha Atlas - Topic, 2015b)

Another band that I discovered during this period was “Orange Blossom” who are a French band routed in the tradition of Arabic music but fuse it with other genres. 

(alifie from mars, 2014b)

While I was discussing Arabic music fusions with a friend, he referred me to this composition by Ruby. I've included two versions here. One is the original recording and the second one is a re-mix to make the song more appealing to a dance orientated market. The first version here is the remix

(nephsam, 2012b)

The original traditional arrangement of the same song

(iMediaMusicRecords, 2018)

This is one Arabic instrument that I will not be attempting to learn - The Ney Anban.

(saeid shanbehzadeh, 2017)

Examples Of Artists Who have worked on Arabic / Western Fusions

The examples highligted above tend to be examples of Arabic artists working within their genre. I decided to investigate some work from artists who have worked on Arabic themes outside their primary genre.

Pop/Rock Music

Sting's composition "Desert Rose" is a collaboration with the Algerian Rai singer Cheb Khaled which blends Western pop with Arabic musical elements.

(StingVEVO, 2009)

On Shakira's composition "Ojos Asi" she draws from influences from her Lebanese heritage to blend pop with Middle Eastern melodies.

(shakiraVEVO, 2011)

Beyoncé worked with Shakira on her hit song "Beautiful Liar," which combines Middle influences combined with samples in a dance music collaboration.

(BeyoncéVEVO, 2009)
 

Jazz Fusions

Amir ElSaffar is an American jazz trumpeter of Iraqi descent. He has worked to create a fusion of Jazz with Maqam.

(NPR Music, 2013)

Yusef Lateef: A jazz saxophonist and composer, Lateef was a pioneer in incorporating a range of non-Western instruments and scales, including Arabic and Indian influences, into his 1950s and 60s jazz albums, such as Eastern Sounds.

Other Genres

Various Hip-Hop/Electronic Producers:Producers like the Moroccan-born RedOne (Nadir Khayat) and Noah "40" Shebib (Lebanese descent) have incorporated Arabic samples and rhythms into mainstream hip-hop and electronic tracks for artists such as Drake, Lady Gaga, and Nicki Minaj. 

Genres Of Arabic Music 

Arabic Electronica 

 (Richi – Ana Lubnaneyoun)

(Shkoon - Ala Moj Al Bahr (JAVID Remix) [UYSR037])

(Sahalé - Nlreb Mra Alrrih)

Reggae Fusion 

(The Spy From Cairo - Nafas) 

Jazz Fusion

Anouar Brahem is a Tunisian born Oud player and composer who fuses Arabic music with Jazz in his compositions. He has collaborated witha wide range of musicians to develop Arabic / Jazz fusions.

https://anouarbrahem.com/en

 

 (Anouar Brahem - Topic, 2018)