The Oud Player - Oud Player & Flamenco Guitarist

Elegant, intimate and beautifully evocative, The Oud Player brings an eclectic mix of Arabic melodies to contemporary events with warmth and authenticity. His performances weave Arabic music, traditional Middle Eastern folk and North African instrumentals into a warm and absorbing sound, centered around the soulful oud.

Performance options:

Solo Oud (with optional guitar)

Duo or Trio - Oud with percussion (riqq, darbuka & frame drum) and/or clarinet, ney & flutes

Music and biography

The Oud Player will take you on a musical journey across the Middle East, North Africa and the Indian subcontinent, featuring music and influences from Algeria, Egypt, India, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Pakistan, Tunisia, Sudan, Syria and more, with improvisations around classic Arabic maqam and several Indian ragas.

The music can include music from contemporary artists Anouar Brahem and Rabih Abou-Khalil; treasured traditional pieces popularised by Umm Kulthum and Fairuz; and Qawwali-inspired melodies and rhythms (think Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and The Sabri Brothers).

His style of playing both the oud and the guitar is shaped by influences from jazz, flamenco, Arabic, Indian and other world-roots music - from Paco de Lucía and Django Reinhardt to Munir Bashir, Amjad Ali Khan.

As a musician, The Oud Player began playing the guitar aged 11, and has since appeared worldwide with artists, bands and ensembles at leading venues and festivals, including:

  • WOMAD Festival
  • Celtic Connections,
  • Cheltenham Jazz Festival
  • Manchester Jazz Festival
  • London Jazz Festival
  • Symphony Hall, Birmingham
  • The Royal Festival Hall
  • The Royal Albert Hall

He has even performed for the UK Prime Minister and several Embassies! 

Broadcast highlights include BBC One and BBC Radio 2, 3 and 4, with touring across Ireland, France, Spain, Poland, Serbia and Bulgaria.

He has written award-winning music for EMI and SCORE Production Music, and in the UK currently performs nationwide with an Indian Kathak dance company, an Anglo-Polish singer-songwriter and a 3-4 piece Arabic-jazz ensemble.

Bespoke requests

Have a special song or cultural favourite in mind? With advance notice he’s happy to learn 1-2 bespoke pieces from a specific country, style or culture.

Whether you’re seeking background elegance or a captivating centrepiece, this is music that adds character, warmth and a quietly unforgettable glow to any occasion.

View similar acts:

The Oud Player - Oud Player & Flamenco Guitarist Feedback

“The Oud Player was amazing and made my son’s wedding really special. He is a wonderful Oud player and a lovely character. We had excellent feedback from our guests . ”

Nassir Jameel, Hotel De Vere, Wokefield Estate, (September 2025)

“Well.....I am lost for words, Oud player Sam together with his colleague playing the Darbouka were outstanding. Arrived on time, set up without any fuss. They played according to our schedule accommodating every need and as for the music, magical! I would definitely recommend the oud player / duo for anyone planning a Muslim wedding event. ”

Hisham, Greater London (West), (July 2025)

“The oud player really added to the Eid celebrations in our store and all the customers thoroughly enjoyed his traditional music. On time, professional and friendly, especially to customers who were interested in his Oud and wanted to learn a little bit more about it - very comfortable to chat. ”

Francesca Huggett, John Lewis Store, John Lewis (April 2024)

“He was simply great to work with. Not one issue presented before, during, or after the event. The guests loved the music, and he was on time and well prepared. He had no problem learning new songs on short notice and was excellent in performing them. Easy decision for anyone looking to book a professional oud/guitar player for their event. ”

Sulaiman Safar, Royal Nawaab, Manchester, National Day of Kuwait (February 2023)

“He was just perfect, he helped make the evening very special with his great talent, wit, flexibility and manners. I couldn’t ask for more ”

I.S, , none (July 2021)

“We want to say a huge thank you for attending our wedding and playing for us! He was perfect and his music added such a beautiful atmosphere to our drinks reception. He was so polite and really helped to calm the grooms nerves with his chilled personality :) we gave him some last minute songs to play and he learnt them no problem and nothing was too much trouble! honestly we can't thank you enough! We are so happy, thank you so much ? Hannah and Ali ”

Hannah Broughton, , Wedding (July 2021)

“Very nice playing ”

Amber George, , none (September 2019)

“I just want to thank you for a fantastic performance. His oud playing was amazing and all of our guests enjoyed it. I didn't get a chance to personally thank him on the day so if you could please forward the message to him. ”

Danah Saif, Bicester Hotel, (June, 2016)

The Oud Player - Oud Player & Flamenco Guitarist Videos