Recorded inside the Desert View Watchtower on the South Rim of Grand Canyon in Arizona, this collection of American Indian songs celebrates the most ancient sounds to emerge from ongtupqa (the traditional Hopi name for Grand Canyon). Vocals are accompanied by a 1,500-year-old Hopi long flute and clay pot percussion. This is a powerful soundtrack for one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Clark Tenakhongva was raised in the Third Mesa village of Hotevilla. Clark is a respected traditional cultural practitioner and has a lifetime of experience singing Hopi songs. He has been invited to sing on stages around the world, and has won numerous awards for his music and katsina carvings. Gary Stroutsos is a master flute player whose contemplative music and time-honored stories evoke the lands and cultures he has studied over his 35-year career. Gary's talents flow through a variety of world flutes, but his mastery of the Hopi long flute transports listeners to a spirit of place unlike any other. Gary was a founding artist for Makoche Records, dedicated to the music of American Indian artists, and was the only non-native invited to record on that label. Matthew Nelson is an ethnomusicologist who has studied a variety of drumming traditions. He became interested in the ceramic tradition of the Southwest, and combined with his love for indigenous music, began an exploration of clay pot percussion.

Young Peruvian group Wayne Picchu is made up of three brothers who learned to play the various traditional pipes and flutes in early childhood. Their music, while being traditional, has a contemporary feel partially due to the keyboards and bass that they use in addition to the traditional instruments. The group recorded their debut album in 1996. They currently live and work in Germany, but return to Peru frequently for concerts and recording sessions.

This release features the most beautiful songs from the Andean regions of Colombia, presented by Niyireth Alarcon who is widely known for her warm, velvety voice. Niyireth is accompanied here on traditional instruments such as the tiple, bandola, guitars, bombo, and percussion. Born in Garzon, Niyireth Alarcon is a mezzoprano with a first class singing technique. In over twenty years of continuously working with Colombian music of the Andes, Niyireth has made her contribution to theis genre by taking its singing to new levels seeking to bring the genre close to the Latin American singing movement.

On Mexico's west coast, inland from the tourist zone of Acapulco and Huatulco, the Costa Chica is an isolated region of towns and villages in the foothills of the Sierra Madre. It is a region known, from the outside, for violence and poverty, but, as the boleros in this album reveal, has a deep feeling for poetry, a love of music and constant parties where it all comes together far from the recording studios and the concert halls of Mexico City. In 2016, after several journeys to the area, these five remarkable bands were recorded. The groups, each in their own way, are masters of the bolero tradition, inherited from the local musician and composer Alvaro Carrillo. This collection includes very well known boleros like 'Sabor a mi' and 'Luz de luna' as well as contemporary boleros from the Costa Chica, recorded for the very first time.

This release features authentic recordings from powwows in the United States and Canada. These ceremonial dances and secular music selections come from various tribes of native American Indians. Accompanied by singing in native tongues, these tracks are performed on ceremonial drums, water drums, rattles, and jingles. The field recordings make this one of the most genuine native American music listening experiences on the market today. Featured artists on this release include Northern Wind from Ontario Canada, and Eyabay from Red Lake, Minnesota, who are regarded as kings of the pow wow trail.

Colombian singer and Latin Billboard Music Award nominee Marta Gómez’s Cantigo is an album of original songs presented in the rich and multifaceted rhythms of South America. Ms. Gómez has developed an extensive career that has placed her as one of the most interesting singer songwriters on the world music scene, performing a repertoire of original compositions based on a vast amount of rhythms from Latin America. Marta mixes the joy of the Caribbean with the nostalgia of the Andes, adding jazz and pop elements and taking the authenticity of South American indigenous folk music into new realms

Part of ARC Music’s ‘low price’ range, this album is specially designed to be accessible to the casual or novice world music listener; those who wish to experience the music of a certain part of the world, but perhaps aren’t ready to pay the regular price for standard or deluxe albums. The present release is an amiable, deliciously delicate and inspired album with mellow tones, smiling vocals, relaxed earthy, rich vibes and sauntering summer grooves, featuring Ceumar Brazil, Marta Gómez Colombia, Trio Pantango Argentina, Catarina Dos Santos Portugal, Patricia Salas Chile, AKA Trio Fusion and more.

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.

The Samba is the most typical and recognizable music from Brazil. With roots in Africa stemming from the slave trade, samba as it is known today has it's origins in Rio de Janeiro. Samba isn't only a music, it has developed into an entire culture, with food, dances, parties, clothing, and paintings. Following on from one of ARC Music's best-selling samba album of all time, we present this appealing samba music with songs by the best of today's samba artists. This is an exciting festival of dance, rhythm and colors from Brazil.

A folksy take on traditional music straight out of the Argentinian songbook. Intertwining village roots, lively urban rhythms, traditional acoustic guitar, melodies of the pampas and Buenos Aires tangos, presented by Instituto El Cimarrón. Argentina's folk music has a rich and varied tradition. Apart from the indigenous music of the Fuegians and Patagonians, Mapuche and Chaco Indians, the descendants of the Quechua and Aymara and the Calchaqui Valley Indians, there is a large mestizo and creole repertoire. The creole repertoire is of predominantly European origin. Three basic types emerge, differentiated by function: Carnival songs (performed collectively), entertainment songs (performed for an audience) and religious songs (performed solo or in chorus).Carnival songs, their lyrics in short stanzas, are accompanied by drums and guitars. Related dances are the chacarera, zamba and gato, the latter being one of the most important rural Argentinian dances. The cueca, a dance like the zamba, is found in western Argentina. The malambo is a dance in which solo dancers alternate in competitive performances. It is popular among the gauchos. The sung milonga may be a romance (traditional ballad) or a corrido (ballad, based on contemporary events). The milonga (dance) is an urban style developed primarily in Buenos Aires by known composers. It is usually accompanied by the accordion. Polkas are sung to guitar accompaniment in triple time or sung in duplets over a 6/8 accompaniment with much syncopation. The polquita (little polka) is sometimes played in processions for saints.

Ten piece band Mariachi Azteca are a group of professional musicians led by Orlando Rincon Padilla. The ensemble performs across Europe, and have appeared on television multiple times. The group performs on traditional mariachi instruments, violin, vihuela, jarana, trumpets, guitarron, and accordion. This exciting and vibrant album features traditional Mexican mariachi music, as well as several modern tunes.

Oscar Benito had his 36-string harp custom built in his home town of Asuncion. The Paraguayan harp differs in sound and playing method from the concert harp. The sound depends on the wood used. The wood (from local forests) is carefully selected and then has to be stored for a certain time in order to get the desired full sound. In the past people used to store the wood for decades in order to provide their children's children with the proper material to build a harp. Some of this magic still remains in the Paraguayan harp. Oscar Benito's timeless Paraguayan harp is presented here with a clear, appealing cover design and liner notes detailing his life and musical journey. This release features melodious and relaxing music from the wilderness of South America. It is truly beautiful music that will appeal to a wide variety of musical tastes.

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.