The music of Africa is as vast and varied as the many regions, nations and ethnic groups of the continent. Although there is no distinctly pan-African music, there are common forms of musical expression, especially within regions.
Some musical genres of northern and north-eastern Africa, as well as the islands off East Africa, share both traditional African and Middle Eastern features.The music and dance forms of the African diaspora, including many Caribbean and Latin-American music genres like rumba and salsa, as well as African-American music, were founded to varying degrees on musical traditions from Africa, taken there by African slaves.
African music has been a major factor in the shaping of what we know today as blues and jazz. These styles have all borrowed from African rhythms and sounds, brought over the Atlantic Ocean by slaves. Paul Simon, on his album "Graceland", had used African bands and music along with his own lyrics.
