Music of North Africa

North Africa has contributed much to popular music, especially Egyptian Arab classical and al-jil, Algerian raï and Moroccan chaabi. The broad region is sometimes called the Maghreb, and the term Maghrebian music is in use. For a variety of reasons, Tunisia and Libya do not have as extensive a popular tradition as their neighbors on both sides. Folk music, however, abounds, despite frequent condemnation and suppression from governments, and exists in multiple forms across the region -- the Berbers, Sephardic Jews, Tuaregs and Nubians, for example, retain musical traditions with ancient roots.

Related Topics:
North Africa - Popular music - Egypt - Arab classical - Al-jil - Algeria - Raï - Moroccan - Chaabi - Maghreb - Tunisia - Libya - Folk music - Berber - Sephardic Jew - Tuareg - Nubia

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Andalusian music is especially influential, and is played in widely-varying forms across the region. This music was imported from Andalusia in the 15th century, after Spain expelled the Moors from that province. The Spanish conquest of the historically Muslim Iberian peninsula had been going on for some time, and had the result of moving a large number of Iberian Muslims, who were themselves descended from people from across the Mediterranean, into North Africa. These people brought with them a vibrant tradition that had arisen as a fusion of various kinds of Muslim music from Baghdad, Istanbul, Egypt and elsewhere. The most well-known derivatives of this style are al-âla in Morocco, nuubaat and related styles in Algeria and malouf in Tunisia.

Related Topics:
Andalusia - 15th century - Muslim music - Al-âla - Nuubaat - Malouf

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