Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Classical Arab-Andalucian Music
Leaving aside the thorny question of where exactly it originated (you don't want to be the
cause of the next centuries-long Spain-Morocco conflict, do you?), this music combines the
flamenco-style strumming and heartstring-plucking drama of Spanish folk music with the
finely calibrated stringed instruments, complex percussion and haunting half-tones of clas-
sical Arab music. Add poetic lyrics and the right singer at dinner performances, and you
may find that lump in your throat makes it hard to swallow your
pastilla
(pigeon pie).
To explore Amazigh music in a variety of styles, languages and regions, check out samples, mu-
sician bios and CDs from basic bluesy Tartit to '70s-funky Tinariwen at
www.azawan.com
.
You'll hear two major styles of Arab-Andalucian music in Morocco: Al-Aala (primarily
in Fez, Tetouan and Salé) and Gharnati (mostly Oujda). The area of musical overlap is
Rabat, where you can hear both. Keep an eye out for concerts, musical evenings at fine res-
taurants and classical-music festivals in Casablanca and Fez, and look especially for per-
formances by Gharnati vocalist Amina Alaoui, Fatiha El Hadri Badraï and her traditional
all-female orchestras from Tetouan, and Festival of World Sacred Music headliner Mo-
hamed Amin el-Akrami and his orchestra.
