On his latest release, Lebanese oudist Marcel Khalife pays tribute to Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish - a connection that Khalife universalizes by incorporating the sounds of bassist Peter Herbert. On Wednesday at San Francisco's Herbst Theatre, Khalife will showcase songs from that album, which is titled "Taqasim," an Arabic word meaning improvisations.

Even though Darwish's words are absent from "Taqasim," Khalife says their resonance can be found in the interplay between oud and bass. Named by UNESCO as an "Artist for Peace" in 2005, Khalife is known for the wide-ranging experimentation he brings to the oud, which he's played for more than 30 years. Tickets to Wednesday's 8 p.m. concert, the only Bay Area stop on Khalife's three-month North American tour, start at $25 and are available at www.cityboxoffice.com. The Herbst is at 401 Van Ness Ave.

For more information: (415) 392-4400 or (415) 664-2200.

By Jonathan Curiel