I’m Scot-Welsh-Dane-German-Dinè aka Navajo and a musician. I can attest to how some time spent with my cousins in the Rez when I was in my late teens influenced not only my own music but also taught my ever listening ear to hear other cultural influences in the American-Born musical styles known as The Blues and Jazz. Those same attuned listening sensibilities also taught me to hear the Celt musical influences in rock music from bands that one would never have really thought to make such a connection, e.g., the Australian rock band AC/DC. Traditional Scottish folk music sensibilities are obvious to the listener if one knows what to listen for.
My point is that with the ease of cultural mixing that the expedited travel and communication technology of the last 140 years or so have provided, cross cultural influences in the arts are possible like no other time in human history. Look at the impact African folk stylings had on the music of Paul Simon and the genres like World Beat Music or sub-genres like the Afro-Cuban style and the distinctive rhythms from the same.
The trick is to listen, really listen and study with ones heart what is being presented via ones ears and to keep one’s mind open to the possibilities.
