Amir Elsaffar 4/29/11 Firehouse 12

An extension of Elsaffar's work Two Rivers a jazz-middle east blend paying homage to the Tigris and Euphrates. This group consisted of Elsaffar on trumpet, percussion, and voice, sax, bass, drums, and a percussion duo with oud and dumbek. Compelling tunes with Elsaaffar and Ole Matheson on sax. There was no explanation or solo given to the percussionists which detracted from the blending of a traditional jazz quartet and the exotic sounds of Iraq (no carpet-bomb percussion!). I love the Firehouse and the breadth of sounds they display, but not all listeners are familiar with what's happening on stage, it is incumbent on the performer(s) to briefly describe their angle.