What's all this jive about "maqam"?Gender
Male
Age
51
Location
about me
I teach Human anatomy at Portland Community College. I've been playing Middle Eastern music since 2003. I started a band in 2005 (it's a lunatic thing to do!) I've done a lot of different things in my life, including stage hand, street vendor (hot dog cart), sous chef, bicycle mechanic and ecological consultant. One of the hardest things I've done is raise my daughter, which is not really over . I'm married to a beautiful belly dancer who is responsible for my interest in Middle Eastern music.
I play Arabic tabla, Turkish darbukka, riqq and frame drum and I've been learning to play the baglama saz. I currently play with the Arabesque Ensemble. We have a regular Wednesday night community dance party in Portland . I am branching out into Turkish classical and a little Balkan music.
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Al-Arwah and Tricia - Raks Leyla çifti
Al-Arwah with Tricia - Mevlana
My Tribes
All That Saz,
Arabic Musicians,
Bellydance,
Byzantium Near East Music & Dance,
dhavir productions,
Dumbek Fever,
Eliyahu & Qadim,
Ethnology & History of Mid-Eastern Dance,
Euphoria Studios,
FANS OF NASER MUSA,
Frame Drummers,
Middle Eastern Dance Guild of Eugene,
Middle Eastern Music,
Middle Eastern Percussion,
NASER MUSA'S ARABIC MUSIC,
Oregon/Washington Bellydance,
Oud,
Radio Bastet - Vintage Belly Dance Music,
Salla! Salla! Dance Ensemble,
Turkish Musicians,
Aqila! Oud taqsim
My Recent Activity
Re: Issam Houshan signeture Riqq
(in Middle Eastern Percussion)
I have to restate that the close-up photos look identical (or nearly so) to the riq I bought in İstanbul in September for 200 lira ( about $135 US). David said that they are made in Syria. It is a very fine instrument and I am very pleased with i...
read more
discussion post on Tue, November 10, 2009 - 10:04 PM
Re: Issam Houshan signeture Riqq
(in Middle Eastern Percussion)
yeah, the only decent riq maker I know of in Turkey is Emin.
discussion post on Thu, November 5, 2009 - 1:17 PM
Re: Issam Houshan signeture Riqq
(in Middle Eastern Percussion)
Those look identical to the riq I bought in Istanbul for 200 YTL (I opted for the black unadorned version). It's very nice.
discussion post on Thu, November 5, 2009 - 11:47 AM
Re: need help finding who did this song!
(in Middle Eastern Music)
Geez Mark, layin' on it thick!
discussion post on Thu, October 29, 2009 - 8:17 PM
Re: need help finding who did this song!
(in Middle Eastern Music)
Do you want the lead sheet? Email John and he might send it to you. Anyone know how he's doing?
discussion post on Wed, October 28, 2009 - 11:35 PM
It's a blog's life
First, thanks for the comments on my previous blog post. I swear that I'll add some photos from Turkey soon.
Wed, September 30, 2009 - 9:30 AM
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5 comments
Well, after four years and dozens of performances, Al-Arwah is no longer. I still have the domain and website but I've removed the content and I'm deciding what to do with the site itself. It's kind of sticky because I've been using the email accounts with associated with it for several years now and I am loathe to go to the hassle of changing it all right now. People have been a... read more
I just returned form two weeks in Turkey, mostly in Istanbul. What a trip! the sounds, sights and smells are astounding. We spent all but three days staying with our friends, David and Delpha. It was so much better than the "tourist trip" we'd have had to settle for without them. They were so gracious and generous and I can't thank them enough for their hospitality.
Tue, September 22, 2009 - 9:44 AM
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4 comments
In addition to the incredible beauty of the usual sights (Aya Sofia, Sultanahmet, Topkapi) the tastes of music and culture a... read more
I will be leaving Tribe, as so many have already done. It just doesn't seem to be worth it, with all the technical frustrations that have reduced the number of posts and the number of people viewing my events postings. When it worked it was very cool. But now, like so many before me, I am on Facebook (personally) and My Space (the band - www.myspace.com/alarwah).
Thu, August 13, 2009 - 9:52 AM
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5 comments
ma'salaam 
Well, my last blog post was full of angst, self-doubt and pessimism. Since then things are feeling a bit brighter on the music horizon. We had a great time at OCF, the audience was super and the dancers were fabulous. I think we might have picked up a fan or two. I know that Devi Safir liked the set, she's dancing with us at Mississippi Pizza in September. The previous night's gig at Airplay, though far from flawless, went well and the house was packed.
Thu, July 23, 2009 - 10:21 AM
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1 comment
I think that scaling back the numbe... read more 
Do you hear that? That kind of hollow, oscillating, sort of whooshing sound. It's the sound of the wind blowing through the nearly deserted streets of tribe.net.
Sun, June 21, 2009 - 11:21 PM
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5 comments
Though it could be an illusion brought about by the fact that I have left the drum tribes that I belonged to. I discovered that I was spending far too much time checking in on them and that the posts were going over the same old stuff, over and over and over! Valuable for newbies but some of the attitude that accompanied it was j... read more
My Tribes
All That Saz,
Arabic Musicians,
Bellydance,
Byzantium Near East Music & Dance,
dhavir productions,
Dumbek Fever,
Eliyahu & Qadim,
Ethnology & History of Mid-Eastern Dance,
Euphoria Studios,
FANS OF NASER MUSA,
Frame Drummers,
Middle Eastern Dance Guild of Eugene,
Middle Eastern Music,
Middle Eastern Percussion,
NASER MUSA'S ARABIC MUSIC,
Oregon/Washington Bellydance,
Oud,
Radio Bastet - Vintage Belly Dance Music,
Salla! Salla! Dance Ensemble,
Turkish Musicians,
My Recommendations "An excellent little shop!"
"Where can I go for live music and belly dance in the middle of the week?"
My TestimonialsJuly 9, 2008
I wanted to send a thank you to Jerry for the opportunity he has given me to be a part of Al-Arwah. Jerry is good people and I enjoy drumming alongside of him. I have learned a lot from him. He is very supportive in helping me learn the music that we perform. He works very hard in making things move along with the group.I appreciate everything Jerry. Peace to you.
April 20, 2007
Jerry is a really sweet guy and is very supportive of the bellydance community, so much so that he has formed a band that plays for us! And plays well, indeed. I am glad to have Jerry as my friend :)
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