Arabic Groove (Putumayo Presents)
While not yet part of mainstream American music,Middle Eastern music, as  evidenced by the rise of Algerian pop starKhaledin France,  has sidled up to other club music forms in the hot spots of Paris,  London, and elsewhere. To that end, Putumayo'sArabic Groovebrings us up to date with their compilation, a jubilant sonic party  rooted in ancient musical tradition and structure, steeped in the au  courant flavors of hip-hop, R&B;, and other urban western forms.  Lebanese, Egyptian, Moroccan, and Algerian artists such as former  LondonerNatacha Atlas(who has been featured with both Transglobal Underground and Jah  Wobble) contribute 11 songs which lend themselves to sensual dance,  exotic drink, and glamorous gatherings of multicultural hipsters.  Traditional Arabic instruments such as the flute and oud blend with  guitar, bass, and drums, laying down plenty of funk, fun, and full-on  booty-shaking rhythms. A heady high point is the disco-nomad jam  "Leiley," a Transglobal Underground remix of a hit by Lebanese  songstress Dania.Arabic Grooveis a feast of a sampler.--Paige La Grone