DEARBORN— Compelling films fresh from the international festival circuit and an Arabic music virtuoso marking his latest recording will warm up metro Detroit audiences this winter and early spring during a new season of Global Thursdays at the Arab American National Museum (AANM), 13624 Michigan Ave. in Dearborn.

Bassam Saba, known for his live performances and as a respected music educator preserving and advancing Arabic music, is to perform in Dearborn on Jan. 28.

Trained in Lebanon and based in the U.S., nay (flute) virtuoso and skilled multi-instrumentalist Bassam Saba kicks off the season at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, January 28, with a passionate performance/CD release party for his new recording, The Wonderful Land.
Saba is known not only for his live performances but also as a respected music educator preserving and advancing Arabic music. On January 29-30, Saba will lead local musicians and students in an Arabic music workshop at the AANM; details at www.arabamericanmuseum.org.

Saba’s January 28 season-opening performance coincides with the opening of the AANM’s new exhibition, From Mocha to Latte: Coffee, the Arab World and the $4 Cup. Prior to the concert, at 5:30 p.m. on January 28, Global Thursdays ticket holders can view the exhibition in the Lower Level Gallery and enjoy complimentary coffee and Arabic sweets in the AANM’s dramatic Community Courtyard.

Global Thursdays audiences will be the first in Michigan to experience two films garnering attention and acclaim on the film festival circuit: “Children of Invention,” an official selection of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival; and “All About Dad,” winner of a Special Jury Prize for “Best First Feature” at the 2009 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. Film fans will also have a rare chance to see an historic film on a big screen – “El Norte,” which was selected for preservation by the United States National Film Registry in 1995.

The complete 2010 Winter Spring Global Thursdays season rundown appears at www.arabamericanmuseum.org.

The Winter Spring 2010 season of Global Thursdays also continues the presentation of concerts and films relating to the controversial issue of immigration and the current AANM exhibition Connecting Communities (through March 28 in the Main Floor Gallery). This multimedia exhibition explores the experiences of Detroit-area immigrants of diverse backgrounds, dispels stereotypes and misconceptions, and allows audiences the opportunity to share their thoughts and opinions on immigration right inside the gallery.

Advance tickets for Global Thursdays are available online only with a debit or credit card at www.arabamericanmuseum.org until 5 p.m. the day before the event. Advance tickets are held at the door for pickup. Tickets are also available for purchase at the door.

All concert tickets are $10; Museum Members are admitted for $9.

All film tickets are $6. Museum Members are admitted to films for $5.