These three brothers are making a rare Stateside trip in support of their upcoming album Majaz. It's a collection of lyrical music that showcases the oud , a Persian instrument that goes back about 3,500 years. It evolved into the lute in Europe and eventually, one supposes, into the guitar.

Hatem Akil, owner of the Baraka gallery, says the Joubran trio is more than musicians. Together, they also are known for making technical innovations in oud construction.

The trio's concert is part of a series of shows that Akil hopes will tie together music and the art in his gallery.

"I represent international artists and bring in works mostly from Middle Eastern countries but also from Latin America," Akil says. "I wanted to create this world-music series to build awareness for the kind of art that the gallery presents."

In March, Baraka will host Venezuelan pianist Claudia Calderon, a master of the traditional Joropa, an ancient musical form introduced in Spain.

"It also has a lot of Moorish, Arabic and African roots," Akil says. "When it came to Colombia, it was played on the harp, and she took that and transformed it for the piano."

Back to the oud:

On Le Trio Joubran songs such as "Hawana" and "Roubbama," the instrument sounds like a mellower version of the sitar, one instrument that I have never quite learned to love. There's a vaguely flamenco style to "Hawana," compared with the more stately style of "Roubbama." Find audio of the songs by looking up the band under "current projects" at rockpaperscissors.biz.

Back at home. . .

Is the Grammy show over yet?

Just kidding, I know it's over because I was watching on Sunday night.

Apparently, not many others were doing that. The show's estimated audience, 17.5 million people, makes it the third-lowest-rated ceremony in the Grammys' 50-year history.

*Things I loved: The Aretha Franklin gospel number, the return of Tina Turner, the wins for Amy Winehouse, the songs by Amy Winehouse, the recognition for The Band.

*Things I hated: That boring segment with NARAS president Neil Portnow. That last 30 minutes waiting for the best-album winner. Don't string me along.

*Local Grammy observation: It didn't look as if Orlando-connected best-new-artist nominee Paramore reaped much buzz out of that honor. In other years, at least the nominees in that category each performed.

Music in Mount Dora

My, that Rita Coolidge looks unbelievably young in the promotional poster for the Mount Dora Music Festival, which opens on Thursday.

Coolidge, who is 62 according to allmusic .com, will headline the festival's marquee shows at 5 and 8 p.m. Feb. 23 at the Mount Dora Community Center.

She had solo hits such as "We're All Alone" in the 1970s, but her career dates back to work with the terrific Delaney and Bonnie a decade earlier.

In addition to Coolidge, the lineup will feature UCF's Jeff Rupert and Dirty Martini playing Brazilian jazz from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Donnelly Park, Florida Lakes Symphony (7:30 p.m. Thursday at St. Patrick Catholic Church) and Rolling Stones tribute act Satisfaction (7:30 p.m. Feb. 22 at the Community Center), among other performances. For tickets: mountdoramusicfest.com.

Road trip possibility . . .

There was a travel theme back when we started, wasn't there?

Well, I expect to be watching R.E.M. at the South By Southwest Music Conference in March, along with Orlando's own Summerbirds in the Cellar as an opening act.

It'll be a shorter road trip to catch R.E.M. at the Langerado Music Festival, which unfolds March 6-9 at the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation in South Florida.

Others on the long list of performers -- at langerado.com -- include Beastie Boys, Phil Lesh & Friends, 311, the Mickey Hart Band, the Roots and Ani DiFranco.

Might be worth a 3-hour drive.

Program note. . .

A reminder that I'll be chatting with host Alan Rock in the 9 a.m. hour today on 89.9 FM (WUCF), somehow connecting jazz to my experiences at last night's Van Halen concert. Or not.

-- by Jim Abbott