The Middle East is a multicultural land of enormous musical inspiration, with styles deriving from traditional, African, as well as contemporary European sources. From the soaring rai ballads of Algeria's Cheb Khaled, to Egypt's pop sensation Amr Diab, to Israel's extraordinary chanteuse Ofra Haza, to the Pop sounds of hip Teheran, the Middle East today offers a vast array of musical inspiration as well as excitement. --henrys
