Palestinian recording artist Marwan Abado relocated from Beirut to Vienna during his late teen years, thanks to the political upheaval that was prevalent in Lebanon during the 1980s. He became a student of the oud in the Austrian city, where he studied with Asim Chalabi, an Iraqi master. Previously he had played the guitar, but in Vienna he started crafting songs as well as combining the poetry of his homeland with his music. His music is based in Taq'sim, a musical tradition that relies on the artist's improvisations, or impulses, rather than on set rhythms. He has devoted his musical career to solo endeavors as well as to a number of different ensembles, and he has played throughout the world. His first solo release, a cassette put out in Vienna in 1989, is titled A Different Commitment, or Das Andere Engagement. He leads the group Abado & Co., and has recorded with Jooya, an Iranian musician, and Christian Loidl, an Austrian poet, as well as with Peter Rosmanith. He has also composed for theater and film. ~ Linda Seida, Rovi