Bab L'Bluz

Bab L'Bluz (which is "gates of blues" in a glorious mishmash of languages) is a band with Moroccan and French membership that seamlessly merges the music of North Africa and the Sahara desert with western classic rock elements into a single mold. Stylistically, they draw heavily from Morocco's Gnawa tradition, which in turn has its roots in West African music and lends itself well to the late '60s style of group jamming. The band is led by the duo of Yousra Mansour and Brice Bottin, who make place regional instruments at the center, and have an effective songwriting partnership. Mansour, in particular, is a revelation in the way she embraces the western and maghribi conventions with the same type of energy.