Taste of the Arab world

The musical group Salaam performs its brand of Arabic music at Grand Valley on February 21 in a celebration of Arab culture.

Salaam, which means peace in Arabic, has been together since 1993. The group performs music from the countries of the Middle East and North Africa. Its innovative arrangements, improvisations and compositions reflect the traditional styles of these countries as well as the band's fresh interpretations.

Each member of Salaam is versed on several instruments, allowing the group to evoke many colors, testures and sounds. Western string instruments blend with the Arabic 'oud and the Azerbaijani kemanche , while clarinet and silver flute blend with the ney . For more information about the group, visit its Web site at www.salaamband.com.

The performance is at 8 p.m. on Thursday, February 21 in the Cook-DeWitt Center on Grand Valley's Allendale Campus. It is free and open to the public.

Grand Valley's Arab Culture Club is sponsoring A Taste of the Arab World in the foyer of the Cook-DeWitt Center before and during the performance. They will have tables with Middle Eastern artifacts, clothing, food and other items.