voilà, après ces quelques semaines, mon travail a pas mal avancé, et je vous mets ci dessous à quoi ressemble mon rapport pour l'instant : ce n'est pas la version finale, mais ca s'en rapproche. Bonne lecture pour ceux que ca intéresse, car c'est long et en Anglais 
(d'ailleurs si vous avez des remarques à faire sur l'anglais justement, ou que vous voyez des fautes, n'hésitez surtout pas 
)
English report
Influences between Eastern music and Western music
Music - mousikê (Greek): the art of Muses. Dictionaries ensure that it excites feelings with melodic successions and harmonious combinations of rhythmical sounds. Everything has been said, yet nothing has been said on this universal language which can connect two regions of the world. For cultural purposes, its spreading through different countries is essential and so must be encouraged. Indeed, cultural exchanges are always linked to political, social or technological issues and many elements are required to make these exchanges possible. In this way, I will focus more precisely on musical exchanges between "the Western world" (Europe and USA mainly) and "the Eastern world" (India and Turkey mainly) and on their evolution over the centuries.
I/ Western influences on Eastern music:
World music represents nowadays a great part of the musical space: it can be ethnic, traditional, original, urban or rural, religious or profane. It is the expression of a living common heritage which unites people beyond borders. These cultural exchanges are very ancient since Western influences on Eastern music began with colonization and are nowadays truly important thanks to the development of efficient means of communication.
1) The first challenge:
Despite all the modern possibilities in terms of spreading of music, such as internet or radio-broadcasting for example, the most widespread Eastern music is essentially traditional or classical. The problem is that this type of music is not prone to influences or great changes. It can be Indian music from the North of India (Hindustan music), or from the South (Carnatic music), both inherited from the emperor Moghol Akbar (1556-1605), who was a patron particularly attentive to the mutual integration of the Persian and Indian cultures. It can also be Turkish music, such as raï for example. In all cases, these traditional musical forms are, by definition not overly influenced by Western music. We can have two different axes of thought in order to bypass this challenge.
Firstly, there are all the same types of music in the East which are inspired from Western music: even if it is not easy to discover it, it is possible to listen to rock'n roll, disco, funk, jazz or even psychedelic music from India or Turkey.
We can mention the significant example of "Baba Zula", a Turkish rock band who has recently participated in the original soundtrack of the movie Crossing the bridge (it is the last Fatih Akin's movie, which was a part of the official selection of the "Cannes Film Festival 2005 " ). For the members of Baba Zula, Istanbul is not either in the West, or in the East. During its long history, the city was marked with numerous ethnic influences and it has been continuing until the modern era. This is exactly why their music is particularly cosmopolitan. Their last album sold much better in Europe than in Turkey, where people still do not know what to think of it: the unusual tones and the eccentric look are still too avant-gardist for the general public. The underlying irony and the psychedelic swing of the music are simply still too much. Indeed, rock music is still nowadays in Turkey an expression of rebellion. In the West, rock has been transformed into a mass phenomenon and it is nowadays split into countless tendencies. On the contrary, by its attitude and its acceptance, rock music in Turkey is reminiscent of the music of the guitars of the 70s. Thus, it is surprising to know that official guardians of Turkish culture held a conference only 5 years ago, to examine whether Turkish rock was possible or not! Nonetheless, Erkin Koray had proved it for a long time: he was one of the first artists to play Turkish Music with amplified instruments (electric guitar, electric bass
etc) and it was in the middle of the 60s!
There are numerous other examples of modern Turkish music which are really inspired from one of our traditional musical forms, rock' roll. At a time when Turkey is trying to enter the European Union, it is certain that its culture is more than ever turned towards the West, even if it is only by imitation.
Besides, if you go further to the Orient than Istanbul, in India for example, rock'n roll is also present but it is really less widespread. The politico-economical situation of the country is a first reason since Medias in general are less widespread. We can mention Lata Mangeshkar or Asha Bhosle, two Indian artists who distilled a pure music from the 70s, both traditional and modern, with fast rhythms, exotic instruments, howling organs, cheap synthesizers and amazing vocals! It is music to dance like a fool! It sounds like rock roll but it is relatively surprising since it is really different from the rock we are used to listening! For example, if you ask the opinion of a Western drummer (who is by definition particularly attentive to the rhythmic aspect of a track), he will certainly see unusual successions of rhythms, different constructions
However, it is still difficult to have easy access to this type of fusion music in the West. Its distribution remains very restricted in the West as well as in India! In spite of the great progress concerning means of communication, this music is confined. This brings us to what I called the first challenge-the Eastern diffusion of music concerns essentially traditional music-and leads us to a new question. Is it really correct to think that traditional music is always exempted from outside influences? In a sense, we can argue that pure traditional music does not exist since music is always influenced, except maybe in extreme isolated examples. Indeed, we can think that, between purists and folk traditional musicians, there has always been a reconsideration of their music. Thus, there are lots of examples that show us some corrections added to Eastern traditional music in order to adapt it to a western public: Malagasy musicians choose to sing a capella in order to seduce France, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan works with English DJs
It is certainly more interesting to consider the different musical forms as melting-pots rather than clearly identified styles. It is possible when listening to music to identified influences from different styles in the melody as well as in rhythm construction or instrumental environment. It is also possible to note in the nature of these musical forms what they have taken from foreign music and what they have influenced in other musical contexts. Listening to extracts of La Casa de la Trova (from Santiago de Cuba), we can recognize Capoverdian sounds because these musical forms have a common history on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean: these meetings points are particularly interesting and richer than enclosed identities.
Furthermore, we can view the term traditional music as a syllepsis that means that music has never been traditional: it is the background where that music comes from which is traditional. Tradition is often considered as what has been given to us at our birth, people confusing their natural state and their cultural state: this is false in the sense that a tradition must be re-built each day in order to be called just that: it is fundamentally active, productive of meaning; it is an ever changing configuration and just an illusion of permanence. These traditions are truly living and, paradoxically, also integrative. They can be massively spread since the main interest of the people concerned is precisely to continue playing and making them live everywhere, all the time. However, we can recognize that nowadays not all traditions are like this.
This brings me to a second aspect of my argumentation concerning a real Indian tradition which is the cinema. Cinema has played a very important role in India for many years. It is often sacred but it is mainly nowadays entertainment for Indian people: they are really fond of cinema, and the actors and actresses playing in their favourite movies are huge stars in India.
2) The example of Bollywood: surprising soundtracks
The Indian cinematographic culture has existed since the beginning of the twentieth century. India is a country where religion has promoted a strong theatrical expression, influenced by Hindu mythology and epics from Mahabarata and Ramayana. It was so natural for Indians to appropriate this new mean of expression which would allow us to perpetuate a religious and socio-cultural phenomenon. Thus, a great movie society is organized in Bombay and the first cinemas appeared while a real star system similar to the Hollywood of the fifties emerged.
3 hour-long melodrama with hectic dances and melodies represent 99% of the Indian cinema production. Great successes of the box-office dictate Indian everyday lives and original soundtracks are played in the streets all day long. There is a great diversity with these soundtracks: kitsch traditional music comes with love stories, and psychedelic rock' roll accompanies action scenes with heroes in weird situations. The compilation Doob Doob O'Rama is a good illustration of this variety. We can observe that, once again, there is a phenomenon of a mix type between tradition and modernity. Indeed, Indian cinema is dynamic and in perpetual mutation.
We can also notice that cinema from Bollywood has recently known a great emergence in Europe: we can partially explain this phenomenon by a certain search of exoticism which is common in lots of Eastern peoples. It is the novelty factor, an expression of their inquisitiveness. Thus, people from the West are also concerned by this quest of exoticism and the ancient cultural influence of France often leads people from the East to consider all French cultural products as references.
3) A certain fascination for Europe
The most representative example to illustrate this idea of fascination for Europe, and for France in particular, is certainly constituted by the frenzy of the Japanese towards the French cultural products: they are fond of lots of French artists only for their origin. They are still attached to the clichés of French music (music using accordion in particular). As this regard, we can mention many French artists considered has been in France who know a great success in China or Japan. Richard Clayderman has never been considered as a great pianist in France but he still sells millions of discs in Japan. The same goes for André Rieu who often seems ridiculous for the French but who knows a great international success. It is even not rare to see Artists whose careers run out of steam in France who decide to continue their career in going to the East. We can mention Chantal Goya, Annie Cordy or Mireille Mathieu as significant examples. Nevertheless, we can in a sense deplore this phenomenon because it perpetuates an old and distorted image of French Culture. Thus, it is certainly more positive to see that Khaled or Malian singers, who export their music from Paris, also know a great international success. It spreads a modern international image of France, an image of integration analogue to the image which made the reputation of dynamism of the United States.
Thus, we have examined certain aspects of influences of Western music on Eastern music. We can highlight the fact that hybridization and musical melting-pot often lead to positive creativity. Cultural exchanges are key-elements of this musical blend and must be encouraged in spite of the fact that they are often confronted with technological or political barriers. It also seems imperative not to fight against traditions but to try hard to respect and to integrate them in order to reach a new cultural status.
I will now focus on Eastern influences on Western music: it will be certainly easier to delimit this phenomenon since we know well history of Western artists. We have also to bear in mind that access to this music is easier thanks to great means of communication: spreading of discs, specialized newspapers, internet, alternative radios, and musical broadcastings on television
II/ Eastern influences on Western music
The West is prone to lots of Eastern influences for a very long time. There have been different periods which were particularly active, culturally speaking. We can mention the 60s-70s which were marked by the establishment of the hippie culture in the United States and in Europe. It is also the case nowadays, especially in England, where there is a great Indo-Pakistan community. I will examine precisely the very large movement of the 60s-70s and will then focus on evolution of influences with time.
1) A very large movement during the 60s-70s
January, 1961: John F. Kennedy was the new President of the United States of America. He was the youngest president ever, and he brought a vibrant energy into the White House. He claimed to represent a new generation of Americans with his famous inaugural speech ended with asks not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country". It was a rallying cry for young people to involve themselves in the world's greatest democracy and together create a new vision of future. His enthusiasm was contagious all over the country so that it was a time of great ambition and optimism in America. This period is also marked by the appearance of the Hippies who embodied a counter-culture movement. This movement quickly affected Europe. There were large communities which were marginally living, and refused the established consumer society. A certain fascination for the Indian culture simultaneously appeared with Hindu and Buddhist movements.
Music plays a very important role for the Hippie community. They use music to express themselves emotionally, spiritually and politically. The Music becomes in the sixties more than a simple entertainment since it can be used in order to spread messages. Furthermore, some of songs are also revolutionary for the musical ground since they use for the first time new sounds, mixing Eastern melodies with Western music such as jazz, disco, pop, rap or rock roll. We can mention lots of very famous artists who were prone to such influences. Thus, for rock roll music we can cite among others The Rolling Stones (leaded by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards) which used sitar in Paint it black and tablas in Under my thumb; The Doors (leaded by Jim Morrison) with influences from Robbie Krieger, the guitarist; and Soft Machine (leaded by Roger Wyatt) which is a famous progressive rock band which knew great success in the 70s or Gong, which is also a space-rock band of the 70s.
Besides, it seems important to focus on the example of The Beatles since it is very significant thanks to the huge spreading of their music. Indeed, in 1968, the famous rockers from Liverpool wrote 48 songs in fewer than eight weeks in India. It is George Harrison, guitarist and singer, who triggered this travel where The Beatles met Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, an adept of transcendental meditation. During all his life, George Harrison was very interested in India and Hinduism. He loved Indian traditional music and contributed to its distribution in the West by integrating it in his personal compositions (album all things must pass, 1970). Indeed, his curiosity during the psychedelic period of The Beatles has triggered a great interest for Indian classical music in Great-Britain which exceeded by a long way the circle of specialists and expatriated. During the 70s and the 80s, lots of famous Indian artists played in Great-Britain such as Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan, Nikhil Bannerjee, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and many others
We can also mention the fact that Birendra (who is Ravi Shankars nephew) organized the Sanskritik Festival during 17 consecutive years after having collaborated with George Harrison for the organization of commemorative concerts against civil war and famine in Bangladesh.
Lastly, I would like to highlight an other collaboration between the two worlds which began in the 70s and which is still relevant nowadays. Indeed, Shakti (meaning creative intelligence) is a jazz quartet which mixes fusion jazz and Indian music with the two virtuosi John Mac Laughlin at guitar, and Zakir Hussain at tablas. They shared a vision of not only fusing Indian classical music and jazz, but also fusing the hitherto disjoint musical styles of North Indian (Hindustan) and South Indian (Carnatic) music.It is noticeable that this fascinating confrontation is a great example of respect of traditions. Furthermore, there are great possibilities for this music since jazz and Indian music are both prone to improvisation. Their show knows at present great success among lots of European countries, especially in France.
Besides, this example constitutes a natural transition to a more current approach of Eastern influences on Western music. Indeed, these cultural exchanges are still relevant today with lots of example in electronic music for example.
2) Current Eastern influences on Western music
I would now like to focus on recent examples which will illustrate Eastern influences on Western music, especially on electronic music since it seems to be relevant to understand this phenomenon. Indeed, France and Great-Britain are particularly affected by Indian culture and lots of new bands are emerging.
Firstly, we have to bear in mind the fact that London is, on the one hand, one of the most active and creative places in the world concerning electronic music, and, on the other hand, it is populated with lots of Indians and Pakistanis thanks to British history. Then, it seems natural that the combination of these two facts triggers a great electro movement, which tries to blend electronic music with its Eastern traditions.
We can mention that Jungle (which is a precise type of electronic music) is born in London in 1992. This music finds its identity by mixing the energy of the techno music and influences from the East or Jamaica. This new musical form also constitutes the origin of a similar, but more minimalist, musical form which is the Drum' Bass. There are numerous representatives of this music such as Talvin Singh, LTJ bukem, DJ Shadow, The Herbalizer and a great part of Ninja Tune's artists (Ninja Tune is a famous label of alternative electronic music) but I will focus more precisely on Nitin Sawney which is one of the most respected artists of the London electro scene. He blends electro beats and Indian music with virtuosity and originality. He first worked for radio with Sanjeev Bhaskar, and created then his own band "the Jazztones", cooperating with Talvin Singh. He made in 2001 a long tour through Great-Britain and Europe with the participation of Sting! Until this day, he has recorded 6 albums and continues to perpetuate fusion music with great success.
Concerning the French case, it is interesting to notice that France is the most creative place in Europe concerning an other musical form: the Dub. It is originally inspired from Jamaican music and Lee Perry and King Tubby are usually considered as inventors of this music. They initially worked on classical reggae themes: they added new sounds, new mixing methods, suppressing almost all original lyrics except some new psychedelic echoes
Dub music is still particularly active in Jamaica but has also known an evolution with the digitalization. This is why there was a great emergence of new bands in France (particularly in the city of Lyon) during the 90s. We can mention many bands such as High Tone, Ezekiel, Improvisator Dub, Dub Addict, or Kaly Live Dub. All these bands do not deny the Jamaican origin of dub, but it is also clear that this music is particularly prone to integrate multiple influences, so that they often can use Indian melodies and instruments in their productions. This movement is currently encountering a great success in France and begins to export its music to other European countries. It is a great example of hybridization of music and demonstrates one more time that diversity is encouraged by the meeting of traditions and influences.
Message édité par el_boucher le 15-12-2005 à 15:32:41
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