by Kara Baskin
DJ Cheb i Sabbah--dubbed the "original deejay" in this new profile by the Chicago Tribune--is doing his part to mix Jews, Arabs, and everyone in between ... on the dance floor, anyway. The Berber Jew grew up in Algeria listening to "live music, Judeo-Arab Andalusian music," and the global influence apparently stuck. When it comes to his beats, Sabbah doesn't discriminate: he's been known to incorporate belly dancers, soul, Sufi prayers, and Jimi Hendrix into his sets. His newest release, La Kahena, is named for a 7th century Berber Jewish warrior queen. He appears on Thursday at Chicago's HotHouse.