The oud, a traditional Middle Eastern string instrument, is over 5,000 years old and the ancestor of many other string instruments. In this video, Rahim Alhaj, Iraqi oud virtuoso and composer plays, accompanied by master percussionist Souhail Kaspar. It is a glimpse into recording sessions for Alhaj's "When the Soul is Settled: Music of Iraq" CD, SFW-CD-45033, released October 2006. Alhaj is one of a very few professional oudists who are actively re-vitalizing and thereby preserving the Iraqi art music tradition.