In a tiny workshop on the roof of his home in a Baghdad slum, Farhan Hassan works in secret, lovingly curving wood and tightening strings to make his ouds - a traditional Arabic instrument. Only close ...

This week's show is divided into two parts. In the first half, we hear tracks to compare three solo plucked instruments -- the oud, the lute, and the guitar. Then we feature three songs by Latin jazz ...

'Ehud Banai agreed to ask Shalom Hanoch, who is among the best Israeli blues players. Shalom agreed, and so we have these two talented musicians for our improvised opening of the festival.' Despite ...

Fifteen years ago, Rahim AlHaj, a world-class player of the oud, walked the streets of Albuquerque debating whether to go through with a job interview at McDonald’s. Earlier this summer, the musician ...

Saudi Arabia announced the establishment of the Bait Al-Oud Arabic Music Institute that aims to promote the region's talents and develop a new generation of musicians. Bait Al-Oud (“House of Oud”) is ...

Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center When Persian ethnic wind musician Amir Shahsar performs with ...

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or ...

With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support ...