Introduction Maghreb Jazz
Maghreb Jazz, …never heard of it! .. what's Maghreb? I know Latin Jazz or Gypsy Jazz, yeah right or Cooljazz, Freejazz, Jazzblues and Jazzrock but MaghrebJazz?
Let me introduce you....and show you that this is not just about a local experiment, but about a new music crossover that's developing fast and is gaining more ground worldwide.
During the last century, jazz music developed as a result of creatively mixing the European and African music culture. It may be less known that jazz musicians were inspired by sounds from the Arab world as well, but it's already noticeable during the Bebop and Cooljazz period. Jazz legends like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Duke Ellington en Dizzy Gillespie introduced Arabic flavours in compositions such as Night in Tunesia, Caravan en Nardis, mainly played on western instruments. These are songs that are still played everywhere and are famous all over the world.
The Arab world, often hard to get access to for the western world, has its own strong authentic music culture, that also entered the Maghreb countries of Northern-Africa.
Here we'll find Arab music mixed with the music of local Berber tribes, with west- and middle African music and with bedouine music culture. Maghreb derives from the Arab word Gharb, wich means the western part of the Islamic world seen from Mekka, often specified as Morroco, Algeria and Tunesia.
As a result of large migration movements last decades from Maghreb countries mainly to Europe, a good environment is created for developing new musical crossovers such as Maghreb jazz. France seems to be ahead and has cause of it's colonial past the most direct connections with Maghreb countries. But also in the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, the U.S and other countrys excellent crossovers occur.
Following this introduction, some leading artists in what we could call Maghreb Jazz are listed. For mp3's and more information about these artists, follow the links to myspace.com..
written by Jan Wouter Oostenrijk,
Dutch guitar player and author of the CD 'Maghreb Jazz guitar 2007'
Dhafer Youssef oud/ vocals Electric Souffi Jazz Tunesia
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=173294161
audioplayer: 27th century ethos
Wajda Cherif Tunesia/France piano between two worlds
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=153104440
audioplayer: pochade
Karim Ziad Drums/ vocals Algeria/ France Gnawa jazz
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=148407661
audio player: lala aicha
Jan Wouter Oostenrijk (JWO) Netherlands/ Algerije/Maroc
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=128573895
audioplayer: Nardis
Nguyen Le Maghreb and friends Vietnam/France
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=141944658
audioplayer: l'arkha li Jeya
Malika Zarra Vocals Moroccan jazz USA/ Maroc
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=65280773
audioplayer: run
Fanfa Rai Brazzband Magreb/Jazz France/ Algerije
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=121261442
audioplayer: ch'ilet layani
Monkomarok groove du monde France
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=78908155
audioplayer; Naima
Med Ziani & Bybus worldmusic fusion
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=78843384
audioplayer: afro blue
Zarca collectif France/Maghreb oriental jazz
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=161577897
audioplayer: Ali alors la Oui
Wafa Gorbal France/ Tunesia oriental jazz standards
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=134926288
audio player: my funny valentine