Music in Europe is a mosaic of many sounds reflecting the variety of traditional music, the rich contribution made by the many immigrant communities and, through them, the arrival of musical influences from Africa, Latin America and the African-American community. In the Gaelic/Celtic communities of Europe (parts of France, Ireland, Scotland and Wales) there is a revival of traditional Celtic folk with a new vibrancy to attract the youth, as we heard from the young French group Jack O'Lanternes. Arabic music, too, is becoming popular, from Algerian Rai and Turkish music, to the sounds of musicians like Rabih Abou-Khalil. Although musically different, the two groups who performed last night have something in common - their use of traditional instruments - the oud and the accordion, combined with modern instruments.
Performing for the first time in the Arab world, Rabih Abou-Khalil, a Lebanese musician based in Germany, mixes jazz (originating from Black America) and Arabic music. His unique style, by adapting the music of the famous Arab composer Mohammed Abd Al-Wahab in several of his compositions, won him popularity in Germany. He produced his first cassette in 1987, has produced five other albums, and has won awards throughout Europe.
Jack O'Lanternes, a young group from France, are popularising traditional French Celtic music through a lively rock-folk mix to re-introduce to the youth the real French dance music of the 1930s/40s. Formed in 1994 in Rennes, their rapid success has resulted in more than 150 concerts, a CD 'Jour de Fete', and in 1995 they toured the Nordic countries. This week they also gave a successful performance in the Tulkarem Festival.