Mali: Simon Shaheen Discusses the History and Art of the Oud

[Afropop] In preparing the program “Journeys With the Oud,” Afropop’s Banning Eyre visited Palestinian composer Simon Shaheen, an oud and violin virtuoso. They met in Shaheen’s Brooklyn apartment on a snowy, February afternoon in 2003. They had spoken many times since meeting in 1995, but this time, the focus was on just one subject: the oud. Simon is a master oud player, but he began by protesting his shortcomings as an informant. Nearly two hours later, he had more than fulfilled my hopes. Granted, this is one man