Arab Poetry in Song: Hamid Al-Saadi and Safaafir

Hear a master of Arab music perform in a style that is unique to Iraq. Vocalist Hamid Al-Saadi is joined by the Safaafir trio, the only ensemble of its kind in North America, performing on santur (hammered dulcimer), dumbek (drum), and rebab (fiddle). The program features classic Arab poetry set to the ancient melodic modes called maqams, each one tailored to evoke a specific mood, desire, and setting. Al-Saadi is one of the last living masters of the Baghdadi maqam, a repertoire developed for centuries along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.

He is in the United States through the assistance of the Artists Protection Fund of the Mellon Foundation. Presented with support from Aramco.

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