One-Man Band

Add to the growing list of instruments: the oud. It's the Arab lute, and it's an ancient instrument. After his ethno-musicology studies, Jared set his sights on this instrument and was counting down the days until he could purchase his own. He went out with a friend a few weeks ago and selected this one. Good thing he took a knowledgeable friend because the first oud he picked up was for a woman - and that would have been a cultural disaster!

Since then Jared was scouting for a teacher who is a master of the instrument, and who also speaks some English. Recently he found one. He pays for an hour, but usually spends about three at his teacher's house. The whole family is enthralled with this foreigner learning the oud (and Arabic). I'm invited to go tomorrow to hang out with the non-English speaking wife. So, it will be practice for me too.

The keyboard in the background is a school loaner for the summer while he doesn't need it for his classes. Today he practiced for several hours on all three instruments...his little heart is just bursting with music!

Another Dream: Check.

[He exclaimed that the oud slips off his pants while he's trying to practice. Next time I turned around he was sitting in the chair with his pants around his ankles, wearing his boxer shorts and practicing. Now that's a great picture (especially since his boxers are a British flag patter), but in this country from a man's knees up to his waist is considered sensual...so don't want to tempt you ladies!]