Music of Yemen

Yemen is a country on Arabian Penninsula, and its music is primarily known abroad for the Yemenite Jews who became musical stars in Israel during the 20th century. In the Arab world, Yemen has long been a cultural capital.

Traditional Yemenite music is usually performed in the home, in a window-lined room at the top of the house called a mafraj during a ghat chew, in which the performers intake a mild narcotic. Two of the most famous Yemenite musicians, Ahmed Fathey and Osama al Attar, are now resident in the United Arab Emirates.

References

• Badley, Bill. "Sounds of the Arabian Penninsula". 2000. In Broughton, Simon and Ellingham, Mark with McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (Ed.), World Music, Vol. 1: Africa, Europe and the Middle East, pp 351-354. Rough Guides Ltd, Penguin Books. ISBN 1-85828-636-0