Arabic Groove (Official Putumayo Version)

Rock the kasbah with this collection of funky, contemporary music from North Africa and the Middle East. Featuring songs from the original Arabic Groove collection and 3 bonus tracks from other Putumayo releases.

Putumayo travels the world in search of exceptional songs from Congo to Cuba, Rome to Rio, New Orleans to Nova Scotia. Putumayo’s meticulously researched and curated musical journeys are “Guaranteed to Make You Feel Good!”

For a complete track listing and playlist version of the songs featured in this video visit:

Follow Putumayo:

[PutumayoWorldMusic]

Track Listing:
Abdel Ali Slimani - “Moi Et Toi” 0:00
Abdy - “Galbi” 3:43
Dania - “Leiley (Transglobal Underground Remix)” 8:02
Amr Diab - “Amarain” 12:45
Hisham Abbas - “Intil Waheeda” 17:08
Hamid El Shaeri - “Hely Meli” 21:59
Fadela & Sahraoui - “Mani” 25:58
Natacha Atlas - “Kidda” 30:01
Khaled - “Mauvais Sang” 34:50
Sawt El Atlas - “Ne Me Jugez Pas (Volodia Remix)” 40:58
Cheb Tarik - “L'Histoire” 44:28

Bonus Tracks:

[FaeQueenWhesteria]

I have the india CD, Turkish Groove CD, Arabic Groove CD, and four others I've started collecting them since I was 7. I'm now 25. Love this music. It's so much better than American music. Fr. 😅😊❤

[valerieneal]

I BOUGHT THIS CD WHEN IT DEBUTED...AND I STILL LOVE IT.

[highinquisitorsebaste]

My family and I used to listen to this album quite a bit! I've been trying to find it for a while now, and I'm glad that you guys have the full album here on YouTube!

[joahrose]

I have this cd. absolutely love putumayo music selections.

[samuelgrobstein]

From the trendy bars of Barbes, the bustling neighborhood of Paris populated by immigrants from North and West Africa, to the cosmopolitan nightclubs of Cairo, Arab music is experiencing a transformation. Rooted in centuries-old musical traditions that are governed by long-established structures and instrumentation, the popular music of the Arab world has recently found inspiration and influence in the contemporary urban pop music of the West. Funk, hip-hop, soul, R&B, disco, jazz, Latin, electronica and other forms have begun seeping their ways into the pop music of North Africa and the Middle East.

As a result, styles like Algerian rai and Egyptian al-jil are becoming increasingly popular and accessible outside of the Arab world. In France, Arabic music is entrenched firmly in the mainstream. Algerian singer Khaled is one of the most popular artists in France and his smash single "Aisha" in 1996 made him the first Arab artist to have a number one song on the French pop charts. Arabic pop, funk and hip-hop is practically as common as French chanson in Parisian record stores, and trend-setting nightclubs and restaurants use Arabic music to create an exotic mood. In the London club scene, artists like Natacha Atlas, Abdel Ali Slimani and Transglobal Underground have helped Arabic music become a companion to cutting edge dance styles like trip-hop, jungle and electronica. Arabic pop music is reaching the top of the charts in unexpected places like India, Colombia, and Brazil, and is being played in clubs alongside salsa, techno and house music.

In the US, the Middle Eastern music trend is still simmering under the surface, waiting to burst through. The participation of rai singer Cheb Mami on Sting's Desert Rose album, the grassroots popularity of French/Arab group Alabina and the acceptance of the music of Natacha Atlas in trendy dance clubs are signs that the melodies of Arabic music are finding the American public's ear.

Modern Arab artists are taking traditional melodies, rhythms, instrumentation and singing styles and superimposing them over Western pop styles. The results are irresistible blends that do not require the listener to understand the lyrics or comprehend the subtleties of the singing. This is clearly music for celebration and, of course, dancing. After listening to the songs on Arabic Groove one could not be faulted for thinking that the world "funky" must be of Arabic derivation.

Jacob Edgar

[GrandmaEllen]

In the top five of favorites from this label.

[christianelorre]

🌴🌴🕋🕋🏜🏜❣❣jaime beaucoup ça me repose cette musique

[kimberlymikita-jones]

Oh thank you for writing out the lyrics to this beautiful and sad love song. My children are 1/2 Greek, and we will be listening to this once again, while celebrating Greek Easter!❤

[TheRealSolardisaster]

it's always interesting to see what non-arabic others have to say about arabic music. growing up lebanese was kind of that place between one world and another. i'd see a lot of my other friends of colour and ethnic relatives interpret their own lives in a world where those lives are and are not understood in all company which for me i suppose became the understanding of the word "passing" - which oddly was a common word often heard in regard to me during my school years, especially maths.

what i've learned is that while historically nearly everybody would assume to be arabic meant also being muslim - which is not always the case. with insensitivities i must say that i have found myself gratefully surprised as the world has begun awakening to the true effects of prejudice and the dangers of the presuppositions of stereotyping and profiling can create.

and, with no surprise every single thing i have ever experienced in all this, is duplicated in the comments here, left by others from whichever walk of life that has lead them here simply by having heard music. there's a great deal of mystery behind the origin of life and i don't have that answer but i am sure that what causes a hearbeat in all living things, is music.

[JayAlvarez]

El Putumayo es diversidad... siempre lo he dicho, este departamento es como una pequeña Colombia puesto que tiene culturas de todo el país y también tiene sus pisos térmicos.

[Greetling]

totally soulwarming feeling from home. thank you so much.♥

[atfkaddechi]

I don't think there's any Tunisian songs in this playlist, even though Tunisia is known for its andaloussi music. You can look for MALUF, it's a genre of art music in the Andalusian classical music tradition of Tunisia and the rest of the Maghreb.

References

[brigittabalogh]

I need someone who speaks arabic, I'm searching for a probably arabic folk song.