Last month I taped the first of a series of interviews with NPR's Market Place (www.marketplace.org).  I am thrilled that Market Place has an interest in Middle East related stories, and today marks the beginning of a month long broadcast from the region entitled "Middle East @ Work".  It is a special month of coverage from Cairo and Dubai which includes compelling economic, social, and political stories, editorials, staff blogs, videos & slide shows, music, and much more.  It is designed to give the listeners and web audience a 360 view of an area that MP describes as "No region outside the United States affects Americans' pocketbooks, politics and portfolios more than the Middle East.". 

We are thrilled that the lead story for this month of broadcast features MAQAM and A DREAM OF ARABIA (http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/02/25/arab_music/).  Be sure to tune in, whether on the radio or online, to this month of interesting and important reports. 

Two weeks ago I returned from Los Angeles after completing my last round of interviews with Market Place and providing them with music for the entire month of broadcast from the Middle East. 

National Public Radio and all of its programs are an incredibly important part of American media - please support NPR (www.npr.org), Market Place (www.marketplace.org), and your local NPR affiliate so they may continue to enrich our lives with informative, educational, and entertaining reporting.