Event details

Hamid Al-Saadi, Iraq's foremost purveyor of the revered Iraqi Maqam tradition, will come to the US this fall for his second tour of the U.S., presenting performances of the classical Iraqi Maqam in its typical format, accompanied by traditional instruments, in addition to performing in a new collaboration with Amir ElSaffar's acclaimed Two Rivers Ensemble, combining the maqam with contemporary jazz. Through his powerful and highly ornamented voice, and in his comprehensive knowledge of the intricate details of the music and poetry of Iraq, generations and layers of the maqam tradition resonate through Hamid al-Saadi's magnificent presence on stage. The only person in his generation to have memorized and mastered all 56 maqamat from the Baghdad repertoire, Al-Saadi is one of the few vocalists who is keeping the maqam alive today, at a time when so many elements of this profound tradition are in danger of extinction.