Tribute to Farid Al-Atrash

Known as the ‘King of the Ud’, Farid Al- Atrash (1910-1974) was renowned for his outstanding playing and pure, passionate voice. His songs were mainly about love, inspiring generations throughout the Arab world, and he managed to interweave long improvisations on the ud with his vocals.

Al-Atrash was also famous as an actor, starring in some 30 Egyptian musical films for which he also wrote and performed the music.

Abdellah Filali grew up with the classics of the Arabic musical tradition. His particular passion for the music of Al-Atrash grew as he engrossed himself in Al-Atrash’s refined transitions from complex instrumental passages on the ud to breathtakingly beautiful vocals.

Together with ud musician Younes Fakhar, he pays a unique tribute to the King of the Ud, accompanied by the Amsterdam Andalusian Orchestra.