Musical Worlds
The Islamic world and Europe are home to a longstanding independent, modern music scene that transcends belly dance and folk music clichés. In this dossier we present some of its most important figures, styles and encounters.
Musikdossier
Jon Balke's and Amina Alaoui's Album "Siwan"
The Free Spirit of Al Andalus
As opposed to medieval Europe, the arts in Muslim Spain, were free. Now the album "Siwan" celebrates the music and the spirit of Al Andalus, demonstrating that Islamic civilization is one of the cornerstones of Western culture, as writes Richard Marcus More »
Revival of Afghan Music
Fiddles for Kabul
In Taliban times, musical performances and instruments were officially forbidden. Over the past two years, Dr. Ahmad Sarmast, an expatriate musician and musicologist, has been leading an initiative to rebuild formal music education in Afghanistan. Martin Gerner met him in Kabul More »
Protest Songs in Iran
Tired of the Kiss of the Whip
Since the controversial presidential election last June, Iranian musicians of all genres have created a multi-layered song repertoire. Their songs are an attempt to come to terms with the bloody suppression of the opposition and demands for political freedom in Iran. By Jan Engelhardt More »
Interview with Yusuf Islam
"To Be, You Must Give up What You Are"
Yusuf Islam, the man who was once Cat Stevens, talks about his first pop album for almost three decades, about metamorphosis and about happiness. Interview by Guido Mingels More »
Junaid Jamshed
"I Was a Sinner for Years"
Junaid Jamshed was the first pop star on the Pakistani music scene. At the height of his career, he turned his back on the world of glitz and glamour and devoted himself to Islam. A portrait by Nadia Riaz More »
Islamic Pop Music in Turkey
Combining Rock Music with an Islamic Message
In Turkey today, traditional Islamic music is giving way to the rock sound of "Yesil Pop". But along with the normal rock beat and guitar rifts, comes not a message of sex and drugs, but rather praising God. Dorian Jones reports More »
The Muslim Hip Hop Scene in the USA
Rapping with Allah's Blessing
In the USA, where an increasing number of African-American musicians are converting to Islam, a Muslim hip hop scene is emerging. The proponents of this style of music consider themselves to be intermediaries between Islam and pop culture. Jonathan Fischer reports More »
Interview with Rapper Ammar114
"Islam Forbids Violence"
Honour killings, terrorist acts, the war in Iraq … in his song texts, the successful Muslim rapper Ammar114 criticises the injustice done both by and to Muslims. Nimet Seker spoke to him about his lyrics More »
Souad Massi
Melancholy and Hope
In her hometown of Algiers Souad Massi studied classical Arab-Andalusian music as well as engineering. When she became a local star as the singer of a rock band she learned that Algeria's society was not entirely ready for this. By Ralf Dombrowski More »
Reem Kelani – "Sprinting Gazelle"
"I Defend My Right to Defend My Right"
Following her widely acclaimed featured performance on Gilad Atzmon's "Exile", the British-Palestinian singer Reem Kelani has released her own debut album, establishing herself as important artist in the Palestinian musical tradition. By Lewis Gropp More »
Interview with Abed Azrié
An Exploration of Contemporary Music and Oriental Heritage
In his latest album "Venessia" the Syrian musician Abed Azrié opens himself once again to a wide range of thematic sources and musical influences. Saleh Diab spoke with the artist, who now lives in Paris More »
The Gnawa Festival in Essaouira
High on Spirits
Ever since the 1960s, Morocco has been a magnet for musicians from around the world, experimenting with music that crosses all kinds of boundaries. The Gnawa Festival in Essaouira is very much part of this tradition. Andreas Kirchgäßner took a look around this year's event More »
New West-Eastern Jazz Divan
A Humanist Consensus for a Multicultural Society
Back in the seventies, when the first experiments bringing Western and Eastern music together in jazz were taking place, musicians trusted in the power of the sounds themselves. Since 9/11, such experiments have taken their orientation from religious, literary and philosophical texts, as Alessandro Topa found out when he listened to three new releases on the ECM label More »
Sephardi Singer Yasmin Levy
"In My Songs There Is No War"
Yasmin Levy believes that it is possible for Jews and Arabs to live a normal peaceful life together, even in Jerusalem. Stefan Franzen spoke to the 32-year-old singer, who sees herself as an ambassador for a multicultural metropolis More »
The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra
Consoling Concertos
Daniel Barenboim is on tour with his Israeli-Arab orchestra in times of war. He regards it as an "independent republic" – and he has a message to pass on that is otherwise all but drowned out by the noise of the battlefield. By Sonja Zekri More »
Cyminology
A Finely Woven Fabric of Mysticism and Music
The German-Persian singer Cymin Samawatie is the leader of the band Cyminology. With the quartet she has set texts of the Persian mystic Hāfiz and the scholar and poet Omar Khayyám, among others, to music. A portrait by Lewis Gropp More »
The Jordanian Singer-Songwriter Ruba Saqr
Against Self-censorship in Arts and Music
Ruba Saqr sings her self-composed folk songs as authentically as her vocal improvisations inspired by Islamic mysticism. She is one of Jordan's most promising musical talents. Martina Sabra met her in Amman More »
The Master Musicians of Joujouka
The Faded Myth of the Goat-God
Scarcely any other band in the Muslim world can boast a musical culture so deeply imbued with tradition, as can the Moroccan "Master Musicians of Joujouka." But the original character of this once living ritual music is endangered, writes Arian Fariborz More »
The Idan Raichel Project
Songs of Love and Tolerance from Israel's Melting Pot
The Idan Raichel Project is a musical collective that incorporates the sounds and influences of the many cultures and traditions that make up the fabric of Israeli society – Ethiopian, Yemenite, Arab, Latin American, Eastern and Western European, just to name a few. Marianna Evenstein spent an afternoon with Idan Raichel and some of his musicians in Berlin, where they recently performed More »
