Train to Basra ...and Other Stories Salaam Music and stories by Dena El Saffar www.SalaamBand.com c/o Rock Paper Scissors 511 West 4th Street, Suite 2 Bloomington, IN 47404 www.rockpaperscissors.biz $TBA CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

Drawn from stories that Dena El Saffar's father used to tell her about his train journey from Baghdad to Basra, Train to Basra ...and Other Stories is the 20th anniversary celebration of the eclectic Slaam Band. A wondrous showcase of Middle Eastern music and culture, Train to Basra is an extraordinary musical odyssey that resonates in the imagination long after the last note plays. Highly recommended! The tracks are "Queen of Sheba" (4:40), "Kashaniya" (5:14), "Train to Basra" (5:31), "Iraqi-American Blues" (3:58), "Lima Sahar" (3:19), "Joza Tears" (4:22), "The Mariachi Stole My Heart" (8:12), "Beledi, Baby" (4:42), "Drum Intro" (1:40), "Awakening" (6:06), "Rast Saffari" (6:32), and "Mesopotamia" (5:05).