Mekfoul District

A world away from Paris' tourist traps, Barbes is one of the city's less visited but most fascinating corners. It is an Arab and African enclave that provides a unique and rich color to Paris' cultural landscape. Both Chant du Monde artists Orchestre National de Barbes and the Toubab All Stars are based here, but their stylistic approaches could not be more different. Orchestre National de Barbes focuses on the music of North Africa for their source material, while the Toubab All Stars have blended the music of Jamaica and sub-Saharan Africa, brilliantly absorbing ska, dancehall and soukous styles in a thrilling, hard-to-resist formula.