Martti Pokela, Eeva-Leena Sariola and Matti Kontio are among the foremost players of the Finnish kantele, a folk instrument of the psaltery type. Almost nothing is known about early Kantele repertory, beyond a probable narrow melodic range. In more modern times the kantele has become a box-shaped instrument of 12 to 46 strings fastened to wood or iron wrest pins, tuned diatonically and encompassing 3-4 octaves. "The Art of the Finnish Kantele" presents 17 kantele pieces, both traditional melodies and new compositions. Played on 5, 9-and 36-string kanteles and the jouhikko (bowed lyre)

Classical Music

There is a very particular charm about klezmer music that cannot be found in other musical style. It's a kind of melancholic exuberance; at once happy and sad; klezmer sounds simultaneously like laughing and weeping. A musical genre in a constant state of evolution, klezmer escapes easy definition. This eclectic collection highlights the many forms of klezmer, from the more 'traditional' to those with a more modern touch, played by bands hailing from Poland, the UK, Germany, the Americas, Sweden and Denmark. Brief details of the collection's contents can be found in the accompanying booklet.

"•This CD features the songs from the Andean highlands, from Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador. • This is authentic music handed down from the ancient cultures of the Aymara and Quechua, accompanied on various pan flutes, charango (10-stringed small ‘guitar’), bombo (drum) and some percussion instruments."

Modern Bellydance from Lebanon features the music of Emad Sayyah (b. 1954). New songs and instrumental pieces, perfect for dancing, include easy pieces for newcomers to the oriental dance and more sophisticated ones for experienced and artful dancers. Mr. Sayyah has been performing as a professional singer for over 30 years. His concerts have taken him to many countries and, apart from his home country Lebanon he has performed in Kuwait, Jordan, Syria and Bahrain as well as Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands. Emad has lived in Vienna, Austria since 1978.

- 4 stars - de Telegraaf - "Wonderful record that stays under your skin" - 5 stars - Dutch National Newspaper - "... Ceumar is more than a singer: she wants to tell a story with all her songs!" - 4.5 Stars - Jazzism - "Majestic from beginning to end, this album is one of the best in Ceumar's career." - Marcelo Teixeira.

Columbia is an exciting and exhilarating album of music from the different regions of Columbia. Great variety in styles and rhythms including the Southern Son sureno, the Andean Pasillo, the cumbia of the Caribbean coast, the bambuco of the south-eastern Llanos, the Curruloo of the Pacific coast, said to be the 'soul of black Columbia'.

This release features Christmas songs from Chile, Mexico, Peru, Colombia and Argentina accompanied on guitars, pan flutes and percussion.

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).

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.

This colorful collection of multi-part harmony music from South Africa is sung with much heartfelt spirituality and passion. The musical styles, all representing different choral approaches and arrangements, include Mbube, Zulu gospel, South Sotho choral and Tswana gospel. The song “Mahlalela” concerns a mine worker returning home to find another man with his wife, “Limakatso” tells a similar story; most of the sixteen songs however, are about God, suffering and salvation.

Fiesta Filipina is an album of traditional music from the various regions of the Philippines features music that accompanies ritual and ceremonial dances of the mountain dwellers of Luzon and the remote hinterland of Mindanao played with hand-held gongs, bamboo flutes, clappers and drums.Spanish influenced music with small mandolins and guitars rubs shoulders with the music of Filipino Muslims and their markedly different musical traditions.

Percussion wizard Pejman Hadadi is joined here by Imamyar Hasanov and Hamid Motebassem on kamancha and setar. Together the trio weaves a sumptuous tapestry of Persian and Azerbaijani music to relax and inspire the listener. This contemplative disc is full of innovative improvisation by masterful, musicians, but Hadadi often shines as the true star as he coaxes an astonishing array of sounds from his instruments with unerring sensitivity and fire.

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.

"•A double CD with 38 wonderful ballads and instrumental pieces sung and played by Noel McLoughlin (b. 1955), acclaimed recording artist, talented multi instrumentalist, singer and interpreter of songs, ballads and Irish music. Includes Rambling Irishman, Tipping it up to Nancy, Love is Teasing, As I Roved out, • The Ballynure Ballad, The Jug of Punch, Nancy Spain and many more. Complete lyrics included."