Discovering the Roots of Arabic Music with Oud Virtuoso Mohammed Dohai

Explicit content warning

12/29/23 • 69 min

Welcome to Episode 9 of Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo, who Jason calls “Frank,” and Jason Falls, who goes by “Falls” most of the time, as we explore the real roots of the music we love.

This is a special episode we’ve been hinting at for a while. In November of 2023, Falls traveled to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on business. While there, he reached out to Oud soloist and teacher Mohammed Dohai. The Oud is a traditional Arabic instrument dating back centuries that is a predecessor of the lute, mandolin and guitar. It is typically played with 12 strings, double strung like a mandolin, but has a deep, pear-shaped body, short finger board and angled capstan.

Dohai spent 10 years working as a civil inspector on engineering projects in the UAE but in 2015 transitioned to playing and teaching Oud full-time. He’s since become a frequent performer throughout the Arabic region, playing for large crowds, royalty and beyond.

He teaches Oud at Bait Al Oud, a prestigious international conservatory dedicated to the instrument in Abu Dhabi. He not only accepted Jason’s invitation to be on the podcast, but met him in person to talk about, show and play the instrument for Roots Music Rambler.

This episode is special for that and other reasons. Our journey to understand the roots of this Arabic instrument and one of its finest players is exactly why the podcast exists ... to dig into the roots of music and musicians that a given place or time makes unique.

Frank and Falls also share their recent weekend that can only be described as Trucker-laden, Falls reveals his new S.G. Goodman-inspired tattoo, and the two share the music they’re listening to this week to help you know what Picks are making us Grin in the Pickin’ the Grinnin’ segment.

Buckle up for The Hoe-Down and the Throw-Down! It’s a new episode of Roots Music Rambler.

Notes and links:

Pickin’ the Grinnin’ Recommendations

Buckle up for The Hoe-Down and the Throw-Down! It’s a new episode of Roots Music Rambler.

Notes and links:

Pickin’ the Grinnin’ Recommendations

Previous Episode

John Haywood Talks Old Time Banjo, Heavy Metal and Tattoos

It’s time for Episode 8 of Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo, who Jason calls “Frank,” and Jason Falls, who goes by “Falls” most of the time, as we explore the real roots of the music we love.

On this episode we dig into the eclectic world of artist, musician and bonafide Eastern Kentuckian John Haywood. Not only is John an “old time” banjo player, but also leads a heavy metal band while being an artist and running a tattoo parlor during the day. He hails from Prestonsburg, Kentucky, just a hop, skip and a jump from Pikeville, where Falls grew up.

The conversation was fascinating as Haywood explains the difference in mountain banjo versus bluegrass banjo, how bluegrass and heavy metal music are intertwined, and how his childhood and background with and without music shaped his life as an artist.

His latest banjo album is called Upon My Word and Honor, which John explains was a phrase his papaw used to say, but he didn’t quite hear correctly. The heavy metal band is called Appalachiatari and can be found on Spotify. His website is full of his artwork and his tattoo parlor can be found on Instagram.

Frank and Falls also share some fun stories about their first concerts. Falls cringes at his and just cackled at Francesca’s teen heartthrob first show. She recovered, though, with the story of seeing U2 during The Joshua Tree concert.

Falls also offers a sneak peek at a very cool future episode. He is traveling to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates for his work life and is planning to interview Mohammad Dohai, a concert oud performer (an Arabic instrument similar to a lute or mandolin).

As usual, the two have some recommendations for new music in the Pickin’ the Grinnin’ segment as well that includes a new album from a notable Americana singer.

Buckle up for The Hoe-Down and the Throw-Down! It’s a new episode of Roots Music Rambler.

Some other notes and links:

Tradfast – Irish Music Festival Frank keeps referring to
Gold Tone article about the difference in Old-Time and Bluegrass music

Pickin’ the Grinnin’ Recommendations

And be sure to get your MuskOx premium flannel shirts just in time for fall. Use the code RAMBLER on checkout for a discount!

Subscribe to Roots Music Rambler on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts,

Next Episode

From Rock Bottom to Rockabilly Success, Ashley Best is At His Best Now

Welcome to Episode 10 of Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo, who Jason calls “Frank,” and Jason Falls, who goes by “Falls” most of the time, as we explore the real roots of the music we love.

Ashley Best has one of the stories that just sets him up to write great country songs. The Cadiz, Ohio dairy farmer started playing music in his teens, then life got in the way. In his early 20s, his wife died unexpectedly and left him with two daughters to raise. The struggles of a widower got to him and he admitted to spending years self-medicating with alcohol.

Then he hit rock bottom.

The journey out of alcoholism included finding love again, getting back to his family farm, and rediscovering his ability to write and perform. Best produced an EP in 2018, then dropped his first full album, Something, in 2022. His mix of honky tonk swoon and rockabilly energy has produced strong music that matches nicely with his layers-of-life-experience voice that is unique, to say the least.

Best told us he describes his vocal quality as, “tired.” We think it’s “seasoned.”

Best joined us to share his emotional journey down and back, what it’s like playing honky tonks in the Ohio-West Virginia-Pennsylvania section of the country, how his grandfather’s old reel-to-reel recordings put him on his path to music and much more on an emotional and uplifting episode of RMR.

Frank and Falls also talk about their respective vinyl record collections, share their reaction to a local radio station’s top 2023 albums list and react to Jason Isbell’s recent dental work.

Buckle up for The Hoe-Down and the Throw-Down! It’s a new episode of Roots Music Rambler.

Notes and links:

Pickin’ the Grinnin’ Recommendations

And be sure to get your MuskOx premium flannel shirts just in time for fall. Use the code RAMBLER on checkout for a discount! - https://gomuskox.com/rambler

Subscribe to Roots Music Rambler on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, GoodPods or wherever you get your podcasts.

Theme Music: Sheepskin & Beeswax by Genticorum

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