World Music

rai musician Khaled (formerly known as Cheb Khaled) is a phenomenon in the Arabic world, with a popularity that has reached almost surreal proportions. In 1992 his monster hit single 'Didi' sold over a million copies in European, arabic and Asian countries, and made him more popular than Michael Jackson in India. This year he was also elevated to the status of nationwide celebrity and ambassador for the Arab minority in France, when his first French-language single, "Aicha," put his brand of rai--a blend of traditional algerian music and more Western styles such as soul...

Bombay Dreams is a Bollywood-themed musical, with music by A. R. Rahman, lyrics by Don Black and the book by Meera Syal and Thomas Meehan, and produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The London production opened in 2002 and ran for two years. The musical also was produced on Broadway in 2004.

The Idan Raichel Project burst onto the Israeli music scene in 2002, changing the face of Israeli popular music and offering a message of love and tolerance that resonated strongly in a region of the world where the headlines are too often dominated by conflict. With an enchanting blend of Ethiopian and Middle Eastern flavors coupled with sophisticated production techniques and a spectacular live show, the Idan Raichel Project has become one of the most unexpected success stories in Israeli music today.

Ilham al Madfai (Arabic: ????? ???????) is an Iraqi guitarist, singer, and composer. His musical talent began to develop seriously when he was twelve years old. He started as, and still is, a guitarist at heart. His musical career formally started when he formed his first band, the Twisters, in the 1960s. They were the first band in Iraq, and probably the Arab world, that used modern instruments to play Arabic music (guitar, drums, bass, & piano).