Thank you Jack for starting this thread..I have recently, via you tube, been listening to lot of Arabic music and I love it? I am not at all well versed in its history, influences or origins, but would like to know much more. I am also listening to a lot of Eastern European music and would love some suggestions.
Surely there must be written histories of these rich traditions. I would love to hear and read more.
   I play in a small local music group and there are two young Egyptian musicians who sometimes join us. They play hammered dulcimer like instruments..very lovely..but language keeps us from communicating many things. one of them has taken up the bagpipe, now ain,t ,t that grand?