The Jazz River—North Africa and Jazz

The countries that comprise North Africa—Egypt, Libya, Sudan, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco are the African nations with the oldest Arabic influences. It is reflected in their religions, languages, cultures, food, customs, and in their music. American jazz musicians have long been fascinated with the instruments, scales, and sounds from North Africa.

Overall jazz is not as popular or well known in those nations as it is in South Africa, Mali, Nigeria, and Ethiopia. Still, there are musicians, both contemporary and traditional who have found incredibly inventive ways of bridging the worlds of their traditions with the freedom and experimentation that jazz offers.

From the centuries-old Oud, the great, great grandfather to most stringed instruments, to the mystical and healing singing of the Gnawa people of Morocco, from the lost kingdom of Nubia to the contemporary streets of Algiers and Cairo, tune in Sunday, August 1, at 5 pm and let The Jazz River take you deep into the heart and soul of North Africa. Only on KUVO JAZZ!

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