The big news about this year’s World Music Festival is that it’s smaller–reduced by half in both duration and number of performers–thanks to the weakened economy. It’s laudable that organizer Mike Orlove was able to keep the festival going at all (some at the Department of Cultural Affairs thought it would be better to cancel this year and bounce back in 2004), but the current edition seems a bit lackluster after the diverse sprawl of 2002.
–Peter Margasak
Luis Jahn
Best of Chicago voting is live now. Vote for your favorites »
Palestinian oud player and composer Issa Boulos moved to Chicago nearly a decade ago to study at Columbia College. Since then he’s become a major local proponent of Arabic music. He’s involved with several different projects: his quartet’s original music straddles Arabic music and jazz, the al-Sharq Ensemble focuses on a traditional Arabic folk and art music, and the University of Chicago Middle East Ensemble (which he directs) plays classical and folkloric music from the Middle East, Turkey, and the Balkans. This year he founded the Arab Classical Musical Society, a networking group for musicians. He’ll perform solo here.
MUSEUM OF BROADCAST COMMUNICATIONS 78 E. Washington, 312-629-6000
12:30 PM
OLD TOWN SCHOOL OF FOLK MUSIC 4544 N. Lincoln, 773-728-6000
