Classical Music

This release is a unique gold-mine of an album focusing on the world’s most prominent dulcimer players. This collection presents international performers, providing not only a brilliant listening experience but also an education in cross-cultural history. The dulcimer is a percussive stringed instrument that is seen in various forms across the globe. From the Eastern European cimbalom to the Chinese yangqin to the Indian santur, and every variation in between, the dulcimer appears in musical cultures all over the globe. The pieces on this collection feature songs, musicians, and instruments from Belarus, the British Isles, China, Greece, India, Iran, Mongolia, Slovakia, Uzbekistan, and more. “Sure to turn heads with the music’s positive, spiritual energy.” (Ascentor, Russia) “…A delight to listen to from start to finish.” (Nonsuch News, UK) “…Great to get if you want to see how the instrument differs around the world.” (Amazon)

With this new release, enjoy over an hour of party music, including salsa, cumbia, merengue, lambada, calypso, and more. Some of the featured artists include Pablo Carcamo, who hails from Chile and is known for the variety of instruments that he can expertly play, Hossam Ramzy, an internationally renowned percussionist composer and arranger who has twenty-plus albums to his name, and groups such as the Latin Sextet, which was founded in 1993 by musicians from Brazil, Chile, and Germany, combining Latin American tradition with European and American styles. All of these artists bring the tropics right into your home.

This new release contains well-known and much loved steeldrum hits, such as Jamaica Farewell, Guantanamera, Yellow Bird, El Cumbanchero, Island in the Sun and many others, presented by two of London’s champion steel bands, the Southside Harmonics Steel Orchestra and the London All Stars Steel Orchestra, both multiple winners of many steel band competitions. The Southside Harmonics Steel Orchestra (formerly the ‘Lambeth Community Youth Steel Orchestra,’ re-named in 1998) was formed in the summer of 1979. Since then the band has gone on to become one of London’s finest steel orchestras. They have participated in the National Panorama Steel Band competition every year. In 1998 they were placed second, which proves the capabilities of the group. Since 1987 the band has also taken part in Europe’s largest street festival, the Notting Hill Carnival in London. They made first place four times in the “Best Steel Band on the Road” competition, entertaining carnival audiences with performances to remember. The London All Stars were the initial winners of the Lambert Steelband Festival Championship and the Jamorama Competition. Between 1980 and 1989 they won the Mangrove Trophy twice, the Panorama Championships three times and the first and second British National Steelband Festival Championship. They made history by being the first steelband to be invited to play at the 1990 BBC Proms and to represent Britain at the 1990 World Steelband Music Festival in Trinidad and Tobago.

Folk songs are the songs of the people. From ancient times to the present, regardless of location, each era will inevitably produce a unique historical story, due to differences in culture, language, and religion. Most Chinese love songs are about human emotions and reflect the culture and tradition. In a conservative culture with generational differences, true love was not always easy nor always had a happy ending. Sometimes young lovers needed to fight their way through. This release is a stunning collection of Chinese love songs, including well-known traditional folk tunes and new compositions based on famous poems from dynasty poets. The works are performed by the renowned Heart of the Dragon Ensemble and played on traditional instruments with both male and female voices.

Traditional Mexican music is explored on this new release from ARC Music. Featuring folk songs, a capella multi-part singing, and Mariachi music, the works on this album are lively and festive. Booklet notes on each of the songs are included.

October swiftly approaches, and what Oktoberfest celebration is complete without celebratory, often raucous, music? for the perfect complement to your stein of Spaten, horn of Hefeweizen, or glass of Gerst, turn to this fabulous release by first rate 15-piece brass ensemble D'Wyn Mugge.

Best of Tango Argentino

VERY BEST OF RUSSIA

Kal Band is an urban Romani band from the suburbs of Belgrade. Western reviewers call their style 'Rock n' Roma' which probably best reflects their music. From their beginnings in 2006 to the present, they've played over 400 concerts at some of the most important local, European and international festivals.

Tumbao (World Dance - Salsa)

Ancient Civilisations of Southern Africa 3: The Tswana Peopl

In the tradition of the West Africa griots and the ancient Greek epic poets / storytellers, calypso music has long provided a form of social commentary for the Trinidadian and Tobagonian peoples. • Originating from the kaiso music of Western Africa and evolving with various influences over time, calypso is to Trinidad and Tobago as reggae is to Jamaica and samba is to Brazil. • Despite tackling often-serious subject matter, a calypsonian conveys it all in a humorous – sometimes bawdy – but always inherently enjoyable manner. • This collection highlights a selection of classic and modern calypsos.

Paraguay has the most influential harp tradition in Latin America. It is Paraguay’s official national instrument and is featured in hundreds of ensembles (conjuntos). One of the country’s most renowned harp player’s, Oscar Benito plays and sings popular songs of his country on this Best of…collection. Among these songs is Sol del Paraguay, Cariñito mio, Mi serenata, Canto de pajarito, Dulce amor, Felicidades and many more. Guitar, accordion, occasional Andean flutes and percussion can be accompanying Mr. Benito.

A beautiful and varied selection of Irish ballads sung by a veritable "Who's Who"of Irish singers and bands: John Faulkner, Br�d N� Chath�in, John Beag, Ann Mulqueen, Tim Dennehy, Iorras Aithneach, Mair�ad Taggart, Joe McDonagh, Sin�ad Murray and Fred Johnston.

Lively and vibrant traditional music and dances from all regions of Romania, this recording features accordion, taragot (variant of an eastern oboe), clarinet, violin, double bass, braci (5-string guitar) and kobza (lute). Extensive information about the group as well as the various dances and music is available in English and German.

Classical Music

A popular Jewish music quartet from London, Shir are commonly called a klezmer group, but describe themselves as playing “Complete Jewish Music” – Israeli, Ladino, Yiddish, Mizrahi, Sephardi, simcha as well as klezmer and even liturgical, and do not consider themselves pinned down to any one style. + ‘From The Heart’ features a soulful selection of Jewish Ashkenazi folk music, from energetic Klezmer instrumentals to story-laden Yiddish songs via synagogue prayers to the optimism of early Israeli songs. + Shir’s music is the story of the Jews of Eastern Europe.

The Rubinstein Klezmer Project presents a selection of energetic and popular Klezmer, Ladino and Balkan instrumental pieces and songs including arrangements of the popular "Hava Nagila" and "If I Were a Rich Man" (Fiddler on the Roof).

Classical Music

Classical Music

An intoxicating album with a riveting collection of Gypsy music. 16 pieces from Hungary, Russia, Central Asia, Romania and the Balkans, over an hour of music, from the very traditional to today's modern renditions, presented by some of the finest exponents in the genre.

Classical Music

Dzambo Agusevi Orchestra has been called the “newest trumpet revolution,” In the competitive world of Balkan brass bands, this 11-piece group is legendary. This fast-paced, passionate program features 14 tracks of outstanding Balkan music, some composed by the ensemble and some traditional tunes. The Dzambo Agusevi Orchestra has an impressive list of awards to their name, including first prize winners at the Fanfare World Competition in Dole, France, and first prize winner in the Balkans’ “Kumanovo Trumpet Fest” every year between 2006 and 2011. In fact, the ensemble was banned from the festival to give other competitors a chance.

Flamenco can be traced back several centuries although the exact point in time at which it began to evolve is unknown. History shows, however, a diverse background of cultural roots and influences including Indian, Jewish, Byzantine, Arabic, and South American. At certain times throughout the history of the Iberian Peninsula, people from these various cultures have passed through and settled in Andalusia and in so doing forged their own particular characteristics upon the development of this southern region of Spain. At the fall of their last stronghold in Granada in 1492 after the occupation of southern Spain for seven hundred years, the Moors left behind a cultural heritage so strong and of such magnitude that five centuries later, the impact of their influence is still very much apparent. In this diverse cultural melting pot of so many different races, the seeds of flamenco were sown and there emerged a new form of musical expression. Flamenco has been evolving continuously and today the three principal elements of singing, dancing and guitar playing have reached a peak of unsurpassed technical virtuosity and musical sophistication. To understand and retain the purity of style and spontaneity of this art form, however, we must look into the way of life of the flamenco people whose roots were buried centuries ago deep in the soil of Andalusia. It is from this way of life that the very essence of flamenco has grown.