Translated by Matthew Petti 

From a house in the Shmeisani neighborhood of Amman, two talented musicians — a Jordanian and an American — produce a radio show that combines Jordanian dahya dance music with foreign jazz, blues, and soul.

The program offers traditional and modern songs from all around the world, while providing information about the history of Arab music, such as the stories of Umm Kulthum and Riad Al Sunbati, as well as discussing the future of music in the AI era.

Listeners can catch the broadcast via Radio Al-Balad, a community radio station that seeks to promote cultural diversity, broadcast programs for minority communities in Jordan, and perform social work. The program is also posted to Soundcloud.

Nathaniel Moses, one of the producers and presenters of Jameed Jams, is an American student studying Arabic in Jordan, with several years’ experience as a DJ on American radio.

Radio Al-Balad 92.5 راديو البلد · الحلقة السادسة جميد جامز: تاريخ نشأة ال"بلوز"، من اصوله بولاية ميسيسيبي

He sees Jameed Jams as an attempt to reveal why people still need good music radio, even in the age of seemingly unlimited streaming through apps like Spotify or Anghami. Streaming locks the listener into the same music over and over again, while a good radio program showcases the familiar and unfamiliar alike.

“Our goal is to get the listener excited to discover a musical genre or artist or scene that they didn’t know they wanted to explore, and may not have even heard of before Jameed Jams,” Nathaniel says. “Jameed Jams is a lighthearted representation of the cultural influences and stories that we try to bring together, and a deep dive into Jordan’s musical heritage and contemporary music scene, also exploring its connections with world music, from the US to Mali to Brazil to Egypt.”

Nathaniel presents the program alongside Jordanian musician Raed Khader, which “is really fun. We always learn from each other on the show, and we ask each other about our different musical experiences and interests.”

The show opens with a combination of Jordanian bedouin dahya and Middle Eastern music. It also presents Arabic classical music in a new light. For example, the musician Ibrahim Maalouf has remixed Umm Kulthum’s Alf Leila Wa Leila as a jazz tune.

The program introduces foreigners in Jordan to the history of Arab music, and Arab listeners to the history of Western music, such as the birth of the blues in Mississippi.

Radio Al-Balad 92.5 راديو البلد · الحلقة الخامسة جميد جامز : رحلة موسيقية من البلوز والسول والجاز الشرقي

“Jameed Jams offers an exceptional experience for listeners by presenting a variety of Middle Eastern and foreign songs,” says Mohammad Shannak, director of programs at Radio Al-Balad. “This cultural fusion between Eastern and Western music gives the show a unique character.”

Shannak considers the program an opportunity for Jordanian listeners to discover their cultural similarities with the world: “By listening to these distinctive songs, the audience can learn about the diversity of music and cultures, and discover the beauty of mixing between the Eastern and Western worlds.”

He sees the program as an opportunity to enhance cultural dialogue and present diverse perspectives.

“The two young musicians present the best of the world of music, and strive to provide an inspiring experience for listeners,” says Shannak. “The amazing songs and outstanding performances are accompanied by a program to spread happiness and harmony.”