Arab Music from Iraq: Rahim Alhaj, oud; Souhail Kaspar, percussion. Part 2 of 2




Meyer Auditorium Concert Series show

Summary: Iraqi-born musician Rahim Alhaj earned a 2008 Grammy nomination for his CD titled When the Soul Is Settled: Music of Iraq, released on the Smithsonian Folkways label. He studied at the famed Baghdad Conservatory under the late Munir Bashir, who was perhaps the greatest oud (Arab lute) master of the twentieth century. Since arriving in the United States in 2000, Alhaj has released three more CDs, including one of original music for oud and string quartet. Legendary jazz guitarist Bill Frisell calls Alhaj's music "beautiful, mysterious, and powerful." This concert on July 31, 2008, was made possible in part through support from the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, Georgetown University. See images, program notes and related artwork at http://www.asia.si.edu/podcasts