samzayed
Oud Junkie
Posts: 485
Registered: 11-1-2003
Location: Chicago, IL
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Mood: Mashee el hal
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my visit with Samer Totah in Ramallah
Salam from Ramallah, Palestine . . .
I've been in Ramallah for the last week, and I got the pleasure of hanging out with Samer Totah. Samer is an amazing guy, amazing oud player, and on
his way of being an amazing oud maker . . . I got a chance to play on an oud Samer made, and it was quite impressive. It was already sold,
otherwise, I would have went to money changer and got some shakels . . . . 
Samer is in the process of making some more ouds, and re-vamping his web site at http://samertotah.com/
I just wanted to share some pictures with you all.
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samzayed
Oud Junkie
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Location: Chicago, IL
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This Samer, showing me Ruhi al-Khummash's oud. It now belongs to a friend of his who acquired it after Ruhi passed away. Samer restored this oud.
By chance, I was talking to Samer about Ruhi al-Khammash, and Samer goes, "By the way, his oud is right behind you." Wow . . . I felt a jolt when I
held this oud
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samzayed
Oud Junkie
Posts: 485
Registered: 11-1-2003
Location: Chicago, IL
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Mood: Mashee el hal
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Samer entertaining us. He's amazing and inspiring. . .
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samzayed
Oud Junkie
Posts: 485
Registered: 11-1-2003
Location: Chicago, IL
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Mood: Mashee el hal
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An oud being made . . .
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Jameel
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Thanks for sharing this Sam. Very neat! Tell Samer "hello" from me!
I like the blue curtains behind the belt sander. Now THAT'S a classy lutherie shop.
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samzayed
Oud Junkie
Posts: 485
Registered: 11-1-2003
Location: Chicago, IL
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Mood: Mashee el hal
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Salam Jameel, I sure will tell him you said hello . . .
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palestine48
Oud Junkie
Posts: 448
Registered: 6-9-2004
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Mood: Free Palestine
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Man im so envious, I wish i was there experiencing the things you are seeing. I hope all is well. my family used to live right next door to Samer's.
in fact when my grandma was there a couple years ago i mentioned to him she was there and he gave her the cd he made. Hop all is well and good luck.
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excentrik
Oud Junkie
Posts: 291
Registered: 5-19-2004
Location: Refugee Status...
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Mood: Now Here, Nowhere...
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Yup... He's my Cedo's neighbor as well. Man, I miss Ramallah. Forced exile is hell. believe me.
tarik
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Marina
Oud Junkie
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Mood: Enthusiastic
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Sam!
You were here!
You should phone I would come to Qusd - Jerusalem to meet you.
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samzayed
Oud Junkie
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Location: Chicago, IL
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Hi Marina, I was in al-Quds last Friday to see my aunts. I have 3 there, they drove me nuts - its like having 3 mothers Next time, for sure. Maybe in July August
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samzayed
Oud Junkie
Posts: 485
Registered: 11-1-2003
Location: Chicago, IL
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Mood: Mashee el hal
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Rami, Samer's house is right behind my hotel. 2 min walk,
I'm hearing gun shots - theres some thing going on right now.
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michoud
Oud Junkie
Posts: 383
Registered: 6-2-2006
Location: Spain
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Mood: in the mooud again..
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Hi Samzayed!
Can you tell me Samer´s mail?
I like to know the prices of his ouds (do you know the oud prices?),next september I will go to Syria for 10 or 12 months and I would like to go to
Ramallah and visit him
Thank you!
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John Erlich
Oud Junkie
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Sam,
Thanks for posting the photos and sharing this with us! I hope to travel to Ramallah again someday and meet Samer in person. We exchanged emails
and CDs and he seems like a really nice man.
I wish I was more successful in finding him a better US distributor for his CD. 
I HIGHLY recommend his CD to everyone. It's currently only available here: http://www.paltime.com/product_info.php?cPath=55&products_id=58...
Best,
John
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samzayed
Oud Junkie
Posts: 485
Registered: 11-1-2003
Location: Chicago, IL
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Mood: Mashee el hal
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Try these emails for Samer
samertotah AT yahoo.com
info AT samertotah.com
(I left them this way so the crawlers don't get them)
His cd is great, I agree John. I especially gained a fond appreciation of the tracks when Samer illustrated the inspiration behind some of the
tracks. Samer composes straight from his heart and feelings.
I found out tonight that his great-grandmother and my great-grandfather are brother and sister. It's fascinating to know that my new friend Samer, is
my relative from way back
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palestine48
Oud Junkie
Posts: 448
Registered: 6-9-2004
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Mood: Free Palestine
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dude we are from ramallah, we are all flippin related. If your back in the states hamdillah al salameh cousin. hopefully next time your there I
will be there with you.
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akram
Oud Junkie
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i want to hear the sound of his oud's
do any one have oud made by samer
thank you all
akram
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kamran
Oud Lover
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Registered: 2-17-2004
Location: NY
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Mood: No Mood
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Hey... I've just come back from a visit to Palestine where I had a chance to meet Samer Totah as well. During my visit I had an opportunity to record
a bit of music for a film project with him and a few other musicians and to also visit his workshop. He didn't have any finished ouds to show me, what
I saw in process indicated that he's a thoughtful and precise luthier. He promised he would have something to show me the next time I visit. As far as
I know he's the only oud-maker in the West Bank.
He's recently put up a video of a taqsim on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nK5FJZOi9u4
I also highly recommend his CD - it's really beautiful.
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Peyman
Oud Junkie
Posts: 496
Registered: 7-22-2005
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Mood: Mahoor
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Great video Kamran. Thanks!
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michoud
Oud Junkie
Posts: 383
Registered: 6-2-2006
Location: Spain
Member Is Offline
Mood: in the mooud again..
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