Tag Archives: traditional music

Various artists’ Folk Songs of the Uzbeks & Tatars of China

The Naxos World label is releasing a series of recordings documenting China’s rich and diverse folk music. They’ve scheduled 15 albums in all, with eight released so far, each covering a different region of modern China’s vast territory. Volume 9 … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Various artists’ Folk Songs of the Uzbeks & Tatars of China

Blazin’ Fiddles’ Live

When our Editor and Publisher (also known as “the Chief”) first broached the idea of my reviewing a Blazin’ Fiddles release, I was hesitant. “A whole orchestra?” said I. “Of fiddles?” (Well, that’s what he said it was.) Somehow I … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Blazin’ Fiddles’ Live

Divahn’s Shalhevet

Many Christian hymns and modern worship songs are based on the popular music of the day with the original secular lyrics replaced by religious themes and words. As it turns out, that’s also a tradition among the Mizrahi, the Jews … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on Divahn’s Shalhevet

Various artists’ The Social Power of Music

One of my earliest memories, musical or otherwise, is of sitting on my bedroom floor listening to records on my own little portable record player. Among my favorites was a set of albums that collected well-known songs of various styles … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on Various artists’ The Social Power of Music

Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham’s Spring The Summer Long

Yawn, another bloody brilliant album from a duo, Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham, who can do no wrong. So why should you get excited? Are you completely daft, man? This is Aly Bain on fiddles and Phil Cunningham on damn … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged | Comments Off on Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham’s Spring The Summer Long

Skara Brae‘s Skara Brae

Skara Brae was the first group that put harmonies to Gaelic songs. That alone makes them an important part of Irish trad music. Also not-so-trad music as Triona Ni Dhomnaill went on to be a member of the Bothy Band, … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on Skara Brae‘s Skara Brae

Lalezar Ensemble’s Music of the Sultans, Sufis & Seraglio, Volume I: Sultan Composers; Volume II: Music of the Dancing Boys

The Lalezar Ensemble is part of a current revival of classical Ottoman music under way in Turkey. The group — four instrumentalists and three vocalists — have created four CDs that give a sampling of some of the best and … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Lalezar Ensemble’s Music of the Sultans, Sufis & Seraglio, Volume I: Sultan Composers; Volume II: Music of the Dancing Boys

Turkish Music: An Omnibus Review

Maras Sinemilli Deyisleri/Ulas Ozdemir: Ummanda (Kalan, 1998) Erkan Ogur/Ismail H. Demircioglu: Gulun Kokusu Vardi (Kalan, 1998) Kardes Turkuler: Dogu (Kalan, 1999) Turk Ritm Grubu: Ten/Skin (Kalan, 1999) Selim Sesler ve Grup Trakya’nin Sesi: Kesan’a Giden Yollar (Kalan, 2000) (This review … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on Turkish Music: An Omnibus Review

Beatrice Deer’s My All To You

Beatrice Deer is a singer-songwriter from Nunavik, the icy region of Quebec north of the 55th parallel and home to Quebec’s Inuit people. My All to You is her fifth record since she left her tiny hometown of Quaqtaq for … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Beatrice Deer’s My All To You

Elina Duni’s Partir

“We’re all leaving. Bound to be torn away, one day or another, from what we love.” With those words Elina Duni welcomes her audience in to her latest project, a cycle of songs from around the world about love, loss … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Elina Duni’s Partir