Rahim AlHaj

Iraqi expatriate oud player Rahim AlHaj wants to bring the world’s music together on Little Earth and the results, like the earth itself, are varied. One of the most beautiful pieces, “Sama’i Baghdad,” is written in traditional Near Eastern style but scored for hand-slapped percussion and a Western string quartet. “Sailors Three,” despite its title, is a minor key excursion for solo oud. However, some tracks sound forced from the melting pot, like the ineffectual fusion of influences on “Morning in Hyattsville.” AlHaj assembled an impressive cast of co-pilots for the ride, including avant-accordionist Guy Klucevsek, guitarist Peter Buck and vocalist Maria de Barros from Cape Verde.