I traveled last night, along dusty caravan roads, to places where the warm air is filled with the smell of spices. I went there in my mind as I sat in the hall at Reed College listening to Jordi Savall and Hesperion XXI play music from around the Mediterranean.
The six musicians were from Spain, Morocco, Turkey, and Armenia. All played traditional instruments, and yes, there were two oud players. There was also an Armenian flute (duduk) player and a turkish qaran (zither) player. Together they brought me to heaven. At times I couldn’t tell if the music was ancient or cutting edge. There were moments when It seemed as though I was listening to medieval Christmas music. As I looked around the audience, everyone was rapt and feet and heads were moving.
This was my first of four nights out in a row, and I’ve been dreading this week. But after last night, I know I can face it. Music has the power to make things better.
booksandbassets 
Wow! That sounds heavenly! Love when music can kind of take you away.
Sounds like a great evening. Music, like books, has a way of transporting us to different places. glad you enjoyed your trip.
Until I was almost 20 and took a class in ethnomusicology I had no idea the variety of musical instruments the world had to offer. What a great musical experience you are having. Enjoy the rest of the concerts, as it sounds like quite a special event.