String Theory

Seems my readership goes up whenever I provide stuff to look at and little or nothing to read.  So now I'm eager to see if this is an anomaly or a projectable trend. Just curious mind you, it's not like I'd become a purveyor of  poached pictures and give up on my  other stuff just to garner a few more ticks on the Blogspot scoreboard, but then again maybe I would.

So in keeping with theme from my previous predominantly pictures post, today I share with you my enthusiasm for the world of stringed instruments. Aside from the pleasures they  bring to the ear, the ones below seem to have been uniquely designed to bring just as much pleasure to the eye. 

Pat Metheny's 42 string Pikasso Guitar.
Imagine it would be fun to play and a nightmare to tune.

THIS IS THE OUD...

AND BELOW IS ONE OF THE GREAT OUD PLAYERS--

Joseph Tawadros

playing with...are you ready?

 Bela Fleck 

Richard Bona

 Roy Ayers

Joey DeFrancesco

James Tawadros

Howard Johnson

Jean Louis Matinier

Someone should coin a new word to describe this music...

Djibouti Bluegrass?

World Boogie Woogie?

AfroArab BeBop?

Dervish Beat?

Not even sure I like it that much and can't imagine sitting at home and listening to much of it, but damn they're good, the groove is happenin, and it's sorta like watching great jugglers and acrobats, the technique and physical skills alone are astonishing.  And how bout Roy Ayers...still keeping up with the whippersnappers at 71!