On the Offbeat : Pop With the Sounds of Islam

One fascinating aspect of exploring the spectrum of global pop is coming across albums by several artists who share enough of a common background--whether the link is geography, religion or some X factor--that you expect their music to sound alike. Take the three albums kicking off this edition of On the Offbeat, a periodic review of ethnic, roots and global pop styles.

Zani Diabate, Abdel Aziz El Mubarak and the “Rai Rebels” from Algeria hail from African countries with an Islamic religious background that strongly influenced the musical heritage of those nations. There are similarities in the three albums--chiefly in the long, spiraling vocal melodies--but the way the disparate influences and elements are woven together is far more striking.

And remember the attempt to combine serious jazz improvising with electric instruments, rock and funk rhythms? Well, fusion wound up as a dead-end set of cliches. But now a new crop of musicians--including veteran drummer Ronald Shannon Jackson--are taking a fresh run at combining those elements . . . and coming up with some intriguing results.

“RAI REBELS.”

Various Artists. Virgin/Earthworks.

Rai is a 10-year-old Algerian pop style that is fast becoming accepted in European world-beat circles. Developed by young singers performing in the red-light districts of port cities like Oran, rai mixes traditional Algerian and Western pop elements and initially drew fire from religious authorities for secular lyrics dealing with sex, alcohol and cars--which makes rai sound like nothin’ but the blues (or Chuck Berry), Algerian division.

The sound on this strong compilation album certainly doesn’t resemble the blues. There are occasional snatches of electric guitar or funk bass lines but the material is usually built on simple drum machine rhythms and twisting keyboard or synthesizer lines echoing the vocal melodies. The best tracks--Houari Benchenet’s “Foug-E-Ramla,” Chaba Zahouania’s Sahr Liyali and the Didou/Cheb Khaled duet on “Sidi Boumedienne,” the last complete with Prince-style synth accents--stick closely to that unadorned vocal/keyboard equation.

Extra record on rai: Cheb Khaled’s “Hada Raykoum,” (Triple Earth import) is the album--and the title track is the song--that introduced rai to European audiences. The arrangements lack variety but the music is suffused with an eerie ethereality that resembles minimalist composer Terry Riley awash in a sea of synthesizers.

ABDEL AZIZ EL MUBARAK.

“Abdel Aziz El Mubarak.” Globestyle import.

Vocalist-arranger Mubarak hails from the Sudan and his 10-piece ensemble employs an instrument potpourri of guitars, accordion, percussion, saxophone and four violins. Mubarak’s songs repeatedly punch home hummable hooks that are surprisingly accessible to listeners accustomed to Western pop.

The music is characterized by a lilting swing fairly reminiscent of Cajun music, albeit with an Arabic twist. The full-bodied riffs powering “Ahla Eyyoun” and “Tarig Ash-Shoag,” the latter featuring Hamid Osman Abdalla’s R&B-flavored; tenor sax solo, highlight this appealing album.

Consumer note: Globestyle is a consistently reliable label for investigating interesting, accessible pop music from around the world.

ZANI DIABATE.

“Zani Diabate & the Super Djata Band.” Mango.

Guitarist Diabate hails from Mali in West Africa and his take on the Islamic sound is heavily influenced by Western rock models. The material sports catchy guitar hooks over a heavily percussive undertow--no talking drums here, though--with extra dabs of color supplied by Doumanke Koita’s Doors-tinged keyboards and Daouda Sangare’s wailing vocals. The 3- to 5-minute length of the songs sidesteps one major problem for American pop fans but, ironically, the brevity of the songs is frustrating here.

Why? Because it reins in Diabate, a fluid, fleet guitarist whose solos consistently spin off on unexpected tangents. He sounds like one of those rare creatures--a guitarist with the savvy and imagination to stretch out on extended solos without getting bogged down in self-indulgent flash. Santana fans might find this one interesting.

RONALD SHANNON JACKSON.

“Texas.” Caravan of Dreams.

On “Texas,” drummer/composer Jackson again imaginatively pits several contrasting melodies against one another over his active--but not overbearing--drums. That “harmolodic” compositional technique--honed during his ‘70s stint playing with the style’s trailblazer Ornette Coleman--enables his Decoding Society sextet to explore a wide range of moods.

“Holyman” evokes the atmospheric side of early Weather Report and “Charming the Beast” is a lighthearted funk groove that wouldn’t sound out of place on commercial jazz radio. More challenging is “Pandhandling,” where Zane Massey’s tenor saxophone guffaws at the main melody floating over Jackson’s galloping drum pulse. “Texas” has its weak spots, principally on the second side, but Jackson remains an artist listeners geared to more exploratory music should keep tabs on.