Sam Shalabi: The Osama Project January 12, 2005

Osama "Sam" Shalabi is of Egyptian and Libyan descent. Emerging from Montreal?s vibrant music scene, he has performed free improv with numerous bands in various configurations. Of his CD, Osama, released in 2003, Shalabi says, ?The album was done under a cloud of anger, joy, sadness, and involuntary absurdity?It was a response to a difficult year and, as such, has no intellectual, political, or artistic agenda. Hopefully it says something, though, about arabophobia in a post-9/11 world in an informative, entertaining, and rockin? kind of way.? Shalabi?s style ranges from free-form psychedelic rock to oddball abstract performance. Although mostly known as a guitarist, he also performs on oud and a variety of other instruments.