Custadio Castelo is the world's leading player of Portuguese fado guitar the instrument that helped make the fado genre the masthead of Portugal's musical heritage. Inventus showcases Castelo's excellence as both composer and performer marking him one of the most innovative Portuguese musicians in the genre and a master of his art.

This ARC release consists of Chinese music in a great variety of different moods. Gentle and meditative, these pieces are played on single instruments to exhilarating New Year’s music performed by ensembles.

Folk traditions in dance and music still held a strong position in Bulgaria of the 1950s, 60s and 70s. The Bulgarian style of singing conquered the world music and Rock scene in the 70s and 80s. The particular song style and the uneven bars of the dance music fascinated listeners all over the world. The recordings on this classical LP, now made available on CD were made at the time (1965) when tradition was still strong and new means of recording, together with radio broadcasts and television had entered the scene.

After MANdolinMAN's successful first album "Old Tunes, Dusted Down" - a concept album devoted to the impressive field work of folklorist Hubert Boone - and a second album on which they explored the bossa nova style, MANdolinMAN return to their roots. The band digs even deeper into Flemish folk music and once again breathe new life into old tunes and melodies from the province of Flemish Brabant. Played on four mandolins, the music takes on new forms and teh historic melodies are injected with a modern and contemporary vigour, merged with various styles: African, polka, waltz, bluegrass and more. "...Passionate and polished playing...It's also refreshing to hear mandolins outside of bluegrass and Celtic folk settings..." - Rhythms, Australia

This release features authentic contemporary Hungarian gypsy music collected from all over the country, as well as original compositions. A wide array of instruments (guitar, pitcher, cajon, darbuka, tapan, spoons, mouth bass, mandolin, violin, bouzouki, cimbalom, double bass and 4 voices) make for an infectious, interesting and entertaining album. Khamoro Budapest Band is a folklore band that plays authentic contemporary Hungarian gypsy music collected from all over the country. Besides collected music and covers, they write, compose and publish their own original songs. Their virtuosic songs are accompanied with ‘voice bass’ and other colorful ornamentations in the accompanying voices and instruments. The music touches the hearts of the audiences and they can become deeply emotional. The lyrics sung in polyphonic modes are of real life stories about family, love, sorrow, and happiness.

London Jewish Male Choir presents regaling performances of classic cantorial and liturgical songs, Sephardic (Judeo-Spanish) songs, Chassidic pieces and modern Israeli compositions. Extensive information is included in English and German.

Celtic Thunder - "Celebration: Favorite Pop Hits Across The Decades" - Celtic Thunder is back with a compilation of classic and modern hits! The tracklist includes romantic American standards I Want to Know What Love Is, Nights in White Satin (Moody Blues), (Everything I Do) I Do it For You and modern favorites I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) and When I Was Your Man (Bruno Mars). The group celebrates their Irish roots with renditions of The Boys Are Back In Town (Thin Lizzy) and I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, made famous by Irish rockers U2.

Andr� Toussaint was a native Haitian who made his home in Nassau, Bahamas, for most of his singing career. He was known for his golden voice, sometimes compared in his calypso lounge-style to Harry Belafonte, and thrilled guests everywhere he performed. Toussaint was a regular at the popular Bay Street bistro Blackbeard's and the famous La Fin, where one of his live shows was recorded. Several selections from that performance are featured on this collection.

Sufism broadly refers to the esoteric Islamic tradition represented by many strains, most of whom explain the creation of the universe with the principle of Unity of Being. The Sufi understanding is that God is the Sole Being and that all creatures manifest reflections of His Being. Music has always been part of religious rituals, producing forms and styles that remain as basic patterns of the society's musical tradition. Some of the Sufi branches utilized music as a significant spiritual training method whereas some other Sufis relied on other techniques. The Mevlevi order, which follows the path of Rumi, is a leading example of a Sufi branch that accompanies the inner teachings by intensely using the medium of music. Turkish Sufi music has been perfected throughout the ages across many countries. There are two types of Turkish Sufi music: the music employed at the mosque and at the tekke, or convent. This album features relaxing Sufi music recorded in Turkey. These works are played at the tekke at ceremonies of the whirling dervishes, as well as some never before recorded music commonly played in Turkish mosques.

These mask dances, folk songs, and ceremonies come from the state of Jharkhand in India. This is energetic and up-tempo music played on purely traditional instruments, flutes, folk oboes, various drums, and percussion. Three of these tracks were made during the Karam Festival. On the eleventh day of the moon in the month of Bhad the head of the family brings home two branches of the karam tree and in the evening plants them side by side in the courtyard of the house. He then makes an offering of milk, ghee, and bread made of rice flour to the gods. Meanwhile the inhabitants of the house dress up and sing and dance in the courtyard or by the house. Performing these works is the Chhau and Nagpuri group.

Traditional & Popular Songs from Goa

Margie Butler: Carolan's Draught - Celtic Harp

About the artist Originally formed in the early 1970s to play Afro-inspired music, the present group has maintained a consistent lineup since the early 1990s. While the band started performing covers of West African tunes, Good People has evolved to be a repertoire of original material with some traditional tunes with new arrangements. As more and more African immigrants entered Finland, they joined the band and now Good People can boast it features top West African musicians as well as some of the best Finnish professionals around. About the music Drawing inspiration from both traditional West African music and Western pop-based music, the group combines these distinctive styles for a special 'Good People' sound. The percussive beats make use of indigenous instruments like djembe drums, balafon, marimba while modern equipment like guitar and saxophones provide a contemporary air to the melodic proceeding. Mix in it's inspirational lyrics of harmony and fabled stories, and the result is a pulsing delight of Afro-Nordic jamming.

On this release, the Red Army Choir sings traditional and orthodox Christmas songs. Even when singing such familiar music, the precision of the ensemble's sound reveals the full mastery of the choir's vocal skills. Combined with a unique feeling for these carols' arrangements, these performances remind the listener exactly why the Red Army Choir was one of the great artistic symbols of the Soviet era.

The music of the British Isles has been charming audiences for centuries. This beautiful collection of Celtic music from Ireland, Scotland and Brittany features famous Celtic artists such as Cunla, Colm O Foghlu, Noel McLoughlin, Clannad, and many more. The songs presented are a shimmering array of the most wistful and beautiful songs and instrumental pieces, which are in a similar vein as the “Titanic” soundtrack, or the ever-popular “Riverdance.” Folk songs are presented here in their most authentic forms, as well as several more recent compositions inspired by these roots. This is true cornucopia of Celtic jewels!

The distinctive sound of Israeli folk music has charmed listeners across the globe for centuries. With this album, you can bring the music right into your living room, regardless of what country you call home. These popular songs come from the best-known Israeli composers, such as Effi Netzer, Nurit Hirsh, HaGevatron, and more. The booklet includes transcribed Hebrew lyrics, as well as English translations.

These live recordings were performed on traditional Indian instruments, capturing local field recordings of ceremonies, praying recitals and other unique sounds of the holy city of Varanasi in India. + The character of the city is reflected in the authentic, colorful sonic combination of Sanskrit recitals, sounds of streets and animals, ceremonial bells and drums, composed and improvised music, as well as traditional and classical Indian music. + ‘The Sounds of Varanasi’ is a unique story about the intimate atmosphere of Varanasi, about the sounds and the music that is born and lives there.

Classical Music

When pipa player and composer Gao Hong has a potluck, the guests include a couple of Grammy winners, one of the nation’s foremost Arabic music authorities, and a healthy helping of string instruments.Featuring two original compositions by Gao and collaborations on both new and traditional songs, Pipa Potluck – half studio/half live concert – stirs up a warm and nourishing multicultural meal on pipa, banjo, fiddle, slack key guitar, oud and regular guitar.Ms. Hong is currently on the Carleton College music faculty and is Guest Professor at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing.

Produced by Andre Benichou, this record is the result of an encounter between Pedro Ibanez, the great Spanish classical guitarist, and Vadim Avdeev, the director and arranger of Boris Alexandrov's Red Army Choir. This collaboration between two universes combines the Iberian guitar and the Mediterranean traditions with the power and rigor of a Russian choir evoking the collective soul of the great peoples of the north.

"Quebec has always endorsed its culture, upholding its folklore and traditional music as well as its popular variety genre. Two eminent historians from Montreal (Martin Duchesne and Robert Therien) have decided to create a descriptive catalogue of successful songs from 1900 to 1960. This 4 CDs boxed set features 100 titles which were all well-received at the time and which belong to the history of Francophone songs in North America." Patrick Fremeaux & Claude Colombini

All over the world, millions of mothers, fathers and grandparents get their children to sleep by the pacifying ritual of singing and rocking the infant or toddler. “Slaap, kindje slap”, for example, is sung in the Netherlands, “Baju, bajuschki, baju” in Russia, and “Thula baba” in South Africa.

Singers and instrumentalists from all over the world have recorded the most beautiful lullabies from their home countries exclusively for this CD collection. The accompaniment by tradition instruments highlights the original sound of these songs. The CD contains lullabies from Armenia, Belgium, China, Germany, Finland, France, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Lebanon, New Zealand, North America, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Spain, South Africa, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Hungary and a lullaby in Yiddish.

With this recording the prize-winning “Liederprojekt”, promoting singing with children, is being continued and expanded by an international collection.

Nii Okai Tagoe was born into a family of master drummers and dancers in Accra, Ghana. This new album, West to West, follows his successful debut, African Roots. Tagoe has toured worldwide as a singer, percussionist and artist with artists such as Baka Beyond, ADF Soundsystem, and Lorraine Ayensu. This release reflects his extensive international travels, and features musicians from Ghana, Venezuela, Wales, Nigeria, the Carribean, and France. “…We seek to benefit the world in exploring a side to music and culture people don’t always see- music as health, music as discipline, music for life.” (Nii Tagoe)

World Travel - Bellydance

Emerging around the beginning of the 19th century, Gypsy brass bands developed from Turkish military bands.; The performing ensemble on this release, Fanfara din Cozmesti, is one of the most well known Romanian Gypsy brass bands performing today.; This release includes an extensive booklet with information about the fifteen band members and each of the songs on the album.