Interesting words left out of his analysis that I caught in a recent re-read.

* Zurna: A Turkish clay Clarinet of sorts, somewhat of a grandchild of a similar Egyptian instrument. * Tabla: Egyptian word for drum (also Hindi, I'm not sure which one came first). Called Derbakki by Kurds/Druze/Syrians, Dumbek and Darbuka in Turkish, and Tarabukka by the Slavs.

Spice orgy. Not an Arabic term, but rather it seems to be a reference to an early Sufism ritual where Hashish would be taken before and during a week-long Sema (think non-stop whirling dervishes). Theoretically they were not sexual, but rather considered to be an "orgy of spirituality" brought on by long-term extortion of the senses (try spinning for 30 seconds .. imagine doing it for 24 hours).