I've been meaning to write more about Arabesque, the truly amazing arts festival held at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC last month, but, well, life has intervened. Maybe I'll finally get to it. In the meantime, please watch the live concert of Nawal, the truly remarkable vocalist from the Comoros Islands. (Click on the photo, here.) Unfortunately, you can't enlarge the video, but the music is really spectacular. In case you didn't know it, the Comoros Islands, located in the Indian Ocean, between Madagascar and Mozambique, is a member of the Arab League. I don't hear that much "Arab" influence here. The tarab music that is so popular in Tanzania and Zanzibar is much more "Arab" in its sound. Nonetheless, you must give it a listen. As a part of the Arabesque series, it expands our notion of what "Arab" culture and arts might be. The sound quality is quite good, so you can watch a bit and then just listen.More about Nawal and her latest recording, Aman, here.
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