Gao Hong and Issam Rafea met in the spring of 2017. Gao Hong was teaching at Carleton College in United States and Issam was invited there for a residency. Before Issam left, they decided to go into a recording studio without any preparation. The result was their highly-acclaimed first album, "Life as Is", which was nominated in two categories for Independent Music Awards ('Best Instrumental Album' and 'Best World Beat Album'), made the first ballot for the Grammys, and has received rave reviews, accolades and airplay worldwide. Even after two years of performing and recording together, their approach to music remains the same. They never plan or talk about what they will play ahead of time. They only perform live compositions that they improvise on-the-spot on stage and in the studio. In performances, they base some of their music on titles suggested by the audience. They use their hearts, musical talents, and strong connection to produce their special brand of music. This new recording, "From Our World to Yours", was done in the exact same way as their first - all in one day with no rehearsal, discussion or planning whatsoever. The entire album was recorded live and no editing was done. Here they use music to express the ups and downs in their lives, their imagination, and their view of what the future might bring. They strive to create new colors, new sounds, and new means of expression to bring their artistry to towering new heights. They use their emotional connection to describe different images, events, and feelings.

Mariachi is the name of a traditional Mexican street music with a style that has developed continuously throughout its history. While in earlier times only the vihuela and the gitarron were used, and sometimes also the harp, one finds today that many different instruments are involved. The trumpet, which gives Mariachi its characteristic sound, is a relatively new addition, coming along at the end of the 1950s. Mariachi music is lively, full of joy and can be very romantic. It is therefore very well suited to public festivals and weddings, and to the serenading of young women by potential suitors. This is a great introductory album to the genre, presented by the well-established Mariachi band, Mariachi Sol.

The male choir of the Optina Pustyn Monastery Department in St. Petersburg was established in 1996 by the blessing of its Father Superior, Hieromonach Rostislav. The choir consists of professional singers who graduated from the St. Petersburg Conservatoire. The main goal in forming the choir was the cultivation of the heritage of the old Russian Church singing, its sources and different styles, the study of the different types of early Russian polyphony and the introduction of them into modern Church practices. In order to achieve authenticity in transcribing the various types of ancient Russian scriptures the choir members are in contact with scientists researching medieval patterns of Russian singing. The repertoire of the choir, however, reaches beyond the purely ancient repertoire and represents the great riches and variety of the Russian clerical as well as secular choral art. Apart from recording they maintain a busy schedule of concerts in Russia and abroad.

Traditional Irish music is said to have originated with the Celts when they settled on the land after travelling from Europe around 500BC. They brought with them many influences of the east; one possible origin for the most famous of Celtic instruments- the harp- is that it came from Egypt and was used to create music for those of higher rank. Over the years traditional Irish music has been born, developed and spread worldwide as a means to express the traditions, musical styles, poetry works and treasured stories of it's ancestral lands. This album is a celebration of Ireland's traditions heard in songs from all over the country, from many a talented and well-known Irish musician- the tales of their land

Michael Terzis is one of the most important contemporary Greek composers. He studied piano and music theory at the Macedonian Conservatory in Thessaloniki and in Athens with A. Ainian and K. Chronopoulos. He started his music career in 1973, playing piano and songs by Mikis Theodorakis, Manos Hadijdakis and New Wave as well as his own compositions at music theaters in the historic part of Athens beneath the Acropolis. He recorded his first piece in 1976 using the lyrics of the great Greek poet Yannis Ritsos. His works have since been performed and recorded by the most famous Greek musicians in the world. This release features delightfully varied instrumental Greek music reflective of a beautiful and proud nation. It presents new and authentic bouzouki music by Michalis Terzis.

What does Latin music sound like on Caribbean steel drums? On this new release, the London All Stars Steel Band performs Latin classics such as Cumbanchero, Guantanamera, and others with their renowned energy and style. The London All Stars Steel Band is a multi-award winning steelband founded in London in 1974 by Trinidad-born musician Frank Rollock. Under Frank's direction the London All Stars have gained a solid reputation as one of Britain's best steelbands. They have won a multitude of awards and are proud to be known as regular Jouvert Champions, winning the annual steelpan competition 8 times since 2004. They also won the UK National Steelband Festival Championship as well as the Panorama Championships three times. As a result of their success, the band has been invited to share their music all over the world. The band's repertoire encompasses a colorful mix of calypso, classics, jazz, ballads, and other popular works.

Celtic Visions is a captivating and beautiful collection of yearning laments, traditional folk songs and instrumentals from Scotland, woven together into a stunning tapestry of sound with piano, harp, bagpipes, violin and song. Tales of the druids and seers, visionaries and prophets are shared by award-winning artists, from one of the world's most mystical lands, Celtic Scotland. Songs in both English and Gaelic are featured, as are both folk tunes passed down over centuries and new compositions. The artists featured are well-known in their home country, and include Alasdair MacCuish and the Black Rose Ceilidh Band, Allan Henderson, Gillebride MacMillan, and many others.

This album takes the listener on a musical journey through Morocco. From the Berber traditions of the Rif and Atlas Mountains, to deeply spiritual Sufi music and the improvised street music of Marrakech, Morocco is a land of musical riches. The tracks on this release have been curated from ARC music's vast catalog of world music, and include artists like Nour Eddine, Abdesselam Damoussi, Rachid Halihal, the Altaf Gnawa Group, and many others. Julia Beyer is responsible for compiling the works on this album, and Diz Heller, once again, presents stellar mastering.

A Celtic Journey is an album of music and song from Scotland and further afield, with pipes, fiddle, choir, courting songs, lullabies, humorous stories of whiskey smuggling and sad laments for love lost. The music comes from the Isle of Skye, Nova Scotia, Glasgow, Stornoway, Inverness, and the Scottish Highlands. With award-winning musicians and singers including Cliar, Author Cormack, Blair Douglas, Ceolraidh Gaidhlig Ghlaschu, and many others, whose tracks were selected for this album by Mary Ann Kennedy, this is an album that simply cannot be missed by lovers of Celtic music.

In tales and legends from the Celtic lands, the harp has always been considered a magical instrument, often associated with the sea. Margie Butler presents this album of beautiful, haunting Celtic pieces that conjure a calm, relaxing, romantic atmosphere. (ARC Music)

Gypsy music has a certain fascination, a mystery of far-away places, a kind of longing, a sadness but often such exuberant and fiery enthusiasm as to make the listeners' hearts pound and feet tap. Gypsy musicians, many having learned their instruments from an early childhood, usually are virtuoso players of their instruments and are able to express and project a rainbow of emotions with their guitars, accordions, violins, and other instruments. The term 'gypsy music' refers strictly to the gypsies' own folk music, but in it's broadest sense has become a general term for music performed and cultivated by gypsies. The gypsies were/are an itinerant people believed to have originated from northern India. By the 9th century gypsies were in Persia, and by the 11th they had reached Bulgaria. By the 15th century they were present throughout many European countries. As many Roma worked as musicians or entertainers, they had a considerable impact on the music of the countries they lived in- their own particular musical style often combined with the folk music of a particular country, thus preserving the traditions over centuries. Today's so-called gypsy repertoire can be described as a blend of influences from all of these areas. The Roma have influenced musical works by Bizet, Brahms, and Dvorak, to name but a few. This collection highlights a variety of gypsy music from Romania, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Macedonia.

This release is a fiery Latino album that mixes salsa, timba, bolero, rumba, Latin pop, and other traditional and contemporary styles from Cuba to create an energizing, powerfully dynamic album of vibrant and colorful music from several award-winning artists. Some artists include Combinacion Latina, who are considered one of the best and most popular orchestras of popular dance music from eastern Cuba, Los Van Van, the world famous combo who led traditional Caribbean music into the modern age, and Mario 'Mayito' Rivera, who is without a doubt one of Cuba's most notable singers.

Cheng Yu plays the original 1936 Van Gulik-Picken silk-string guqin, with Dennis Kwong Thye Lee on xiao flute. This cherished guqin, steeped in history, was previously owned by two of the world’s greatest 20th century sinologists – Robert Hans Van Gulik and Laurence Picken. The feeling of antiquity is further heightened as these well-known zither classics are played on original silk strings, dating back to the 1930s. “[Cheng Yu] has been hailed for her deep understanding of the instruments and for reviving the art.” (Elsewhere.co.nz)

Following the steps of the past carillonneurs (bell tower musicians), WÖR take original melodies from the 18th century and remix them into their own new arrangements. With past and present instruments (bagpipes, accordion, violin, saxophone and guitar) they take the audience on a nostalgic trip through history, punctuated with modern-day influences. “A young band reinterpreting old manuscript in a refreshing and new way.” (BBC Radio 2) “They’re all astonishing musicians.” (Huffington Post) “They play classical, they call it folk and the result is rock’n’roll stomping music.” (Radio 1 Belgium)

The guqin zither and pipa lute are the two oldest and most celebrated traditional Chinese stringed instruments, both with over two thousand years’ history. Their musical tradition is closely liked with the self-cultivation of literati and scholars, and the four arts of the Chinese gentleman- guqin, Chinese chess, calligraphy and painting. The strings were made of silk and plucked with the fingers. This album features not only traditional pieces, but also many spontaneous improvisations and contemplations that were inspired by the musicians’ contemporary thoughts, current socio-cultural context and surroundings. It is largely a reflection of 21st century Chinese literati’s musicianship and sentiments. The album was recorded in the context of the London International Guqin Festival in August 2018, organized by the London Youlan Qin Society in collaboration with SOAS, University of London with funding by Arts Council England.