Islam in harmony

Egypt, a collaboration between Egyptian and Senegalese musicians, breaks the separation of Arabic northern and black sub-Saharan African cultures. Fathy Salama's Orchestra from Cairo performed in classical style, with solo oud (lute), nay (flute) and violin, and N'Dour added traditional Senegalese instruments and rhythms to create a potent backing to his lyrics.

N'Dour is remembered for his collaborations with Peter Gabriel and Neneh Cherry, and the 1988 Amnesty International World Tour with Sting and Bruce Springsteen.

At home, his unique hybrid of Western and traditional dance music called mbalax sells millions of records.

Anyone expecting baseball caps and dancers, synthesizers and mbalax last night would have been confused by the spiritual atmosphere. The Egyptians wore glowing white robes, except Salama in a wet-look suit, and N'Dour sported a shimmering boubou robe.

His song Oum Kalsoum, honoured "the nightingale of Cairo" whose voice touched the Arabic world for decades.

N'Dour wrote these songs for "his people" to listen to during Ramadan, but after 9/11, cancelled their release. He released it now, he explained, "because I am ready, and you are ready".

The show opened solemnly, with Mahddiyn Laye, honouring the saints in the Senegalese Mouride sect of Sufism to which the singer belongs. Solos on the Arabic instruments danced with the Senegalese kora (harp), balafon (xylophone) and percussion, but the focus was always his sublime, raw voice, one of the greatest in the world.

Lucy Duran, presenter of the BBC Radio 3 World Routes programme, described the concert as "a project with integrity. It proves that a dialogue is possible between black Africa and North Africa".

With the crisis in Sudan pivoted around just such a division, this daring project is a crucial move towards creating harmony within the Islamic world.

Youssou N'Dour, Inna De Yard