Arsen Petrosyan presents Hokin Janapar (my soul's journey), an album with a diverse collection of songs from many eras and genres of Armenia's historic timeline. Arsen has collaborated with Steve Hackett (Genesis), Emirati composer Ihab Darwish, and oudist Omar Bashir among others. He has performed throughout Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Caucasus. As a solo artist, Petrosyan has also toured extensively in North America and performed on BBC Persia. "Nothing short of exquisite." (Gapplegate Music) "Arsen's duduk playing sounds wonderful. It has a special magic." (Steve Hackett) "... one of the potential heirs to the duduk throne." (Deep Roots)

Bashir Abdel ‘Aal, flautist extraordinaire, presents an album of outstanding beauty with atmospheric, meditative, calming music, played with awe-inspiring mastery that is delicately accompanied and supported on keyboard.

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.

Classical Music

Esma’s Band – Next Generation continues the legacy left by the great Esma Redžepova, the “Queen of Gypsy Music”. Made up entirely of members of Esma’s famed Ensemble Teodosievski, and fronted by her daughter, Eleonora Mustafovska, the band purveys irresistible Gipsy Dance from Macedonia in Esma’s style and honor. As members of Esma’s Ensemble Teodosievski, the band has performed many thousands of concerts all over the world, performing their own blend of pop music based on gypsy and Balkan songs and melodies. Following Esma’s death on 11th December 2016, the band continued touring, delighting crowds around Europe with dance music from the heart of Macedonia, exploring the intricacies of rhythm and sound.

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.

Alan Shavarsh Bardezbanian was the unparalleled master of the oud, the Middle Eastern lute. Here he showcases many styles of oud playing, with fourteen folk songs and original compositions from his homeland of Armenia, as well as Turkey, Lebanon and Greece. “Oud at lightning speed with incredible sensitivity to the melody” - Allmusic.com “An earthy, elevating sound…” - Elsewhere New Zealand “The improvisational work is world class…” - OmRadio USA ALAN SHAVARSH BARDEZBANIAN was born into an Armenian family in the thriving ethnic community of Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1950. Musically gifted from an early age, Al began playing the oud as a child, modeling his playing on the versatile dance band musicians like George Mgrditchian and Richard Hagopian who performed in the local clubs every weekend. By his teens, Al had already mastered the Armenian dance hall repertoire, which he continued to perform for the rest of his life, and began exploring a wide range of other musical idioms, particularly the contemporary jazz scene of the 1960s.

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

Turina’s principal works are conceived for large forces and on a broad canvas, but he turned to the piano for the creation of suites of evocative miniatures throughout his life. Martin Jones has been one of Britain’s most highly regarded solo pianists since first coming to international attention in 1968 when he received the Dame Myra Hess Award. The same year he made his London debut at the Queen Elizabeth Hall and his New York debut at Carnegie Hall, and ever since has been in demand for recitals and concerto performances on both sides of the Atlantic. He is a prolific recording artist and his many major projects include the complete solo piano works of Mendelssohn, Brahms, Debussy, Grainger, Stravinsky, Korngold, Szymanowski, Granados, Guastavino, Mompou, Ernesto Halffter, Joaquin Nin, Has Gál, Jean Françaix, Jean Roger-Ducasse, and Alan Richardson. “Martin Jones as a recording artist has been part of my listening experience for almost as long as I’ve been collecting albums. Seeing his distinguished and still active career celebrated by Nimbus Records in this way is a true delight.” (Dominy Clements, musicweb-international.com)

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REVIEW:

Martin Jones, one of Britain’s most highly-regarded pianists since first coming to international attention in 1968 when he received the Dame Myra Hess Award, offers a beautiful rendering of Spanish composer Joaquin Turina’s piano works, compiling an earlier recording from 1999 with some newer ones. These are miniatures that evoke dance rhythms of Spain. Cinco Danzas is especially well done, but there could be some small disagreements with interpretation. IV has a wonderful rhythmic feel, with evenness of playing. 'Fiesta’ has a sense of dynamic growth, with a constant ostinato-like rhythm. 'Danza Ritmica’ could have a quieter opening (it is marked pianissimo and lighter). To nitpick a little, the work could be a hair faster. Jones could aim for longer phrasing, especially in the running 16th notes that occur often. His range of sound is impressive. 'Seguriya’, marked allegro vivo, could be approached with a quicker pace. His use of the left hand articulation, slightly non legato, brings out the melodic line perfectly, and the work comes to a wonderful finish. The start of El Castillo de Almodovar is extremely beautiful, but I do wish for a more ominous and softer turn, as that movement is marked ppp. Still, besides these quibbles, this recording is a delight.

– American Record Guide (Sang Woo Kang)

As William Boughton celebrates his 70th birthday, we have put together this selection from his recordings for Nimbus and Lyrita. 'Every recording contains a story but, sadly, there is not the space to tell them all here so I've selected certain memorable, hopefully correct(!), experiences. Revisiting my early recordings reminded me of the joys and struggles that we encountered whilst developing the English String Orchestra (ESO), the development of our sound, our thinking and musicianship. Every recording is testament to a moment in time, to our responses and emotions during it's preparation and in the brief moment when the performance is created. Having been given this opportunity for a celebratory box-set I hope to avoid being too self conscious and remain objective in my comments and in the music I have chosen.' [William Boughton]

The new Musical Explorers series from ARC Music makes available, often for the first time, a valuable range of historical films and audio recordings gathered from all over the world. The next release on this series is Music of Tibet, curated by Simon Broughton. Accompanying the album is Deben Bhattacharya’s film, Echoes from Tibet, which was shot in 1979 in Ladakh, Darjeeling and Dharamsala. This is where many Tibetan exiles and the Dalai Lama (who appears in the film) are based. The music on the accompanying album was recorded in 1975 and 1979 in the refugee communities of Ladakh, Himalchal Pradesh, Sikkim and Darjeeling, and also in Sarnath, close to Varansi where The Buddha gave his first sermon. The music on the album was recorded by Deben Bhattacharya on his Nagra in 1975 and 1979. “For the new Musical Explorers series by the British label, the world music expert Simon Broughton has raised a real treasure.”

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

Nominated for 'Best Band' at the 2019 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, The Rheingans Sisters are one of the most visionary acts on the British folk scene today. Their new album Receiver follows 2018's Bright Field – a record that dazzled audiences and critics with its Leonard Cohen-esque lyrical imagery and strikingly inventive arrangements of violins, banjo, Bearnaise three-holed flute and Pyrenean stringed drum. Produced by Andy Bell (Karine Polwart, The Furrow Collective, Sam Sweeney) Receiver is their first collaboration with record label bendigedig (the team behind Catrin Finch and Seckou Keita's SOAR).

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.

Custódio Castelo is the world’s leading player of the Portuguese fado guitar, the instrument that helped make fado music Portugal’s Intangible Cultural Heritage (UNESCO).Like Carlos Paredes, Custódio Castelo creates groundbreaking new sounds that have promoted the Portuguese Guitar to a concert instrument that can be played solo or as accompaniment. His unique Portuguese guitar, handmade from an oak root by master Oscar Cardoso, is capable of fine nuances of emotion, and he uses them well, especially for melancholy, but also for a sense of jubilation. This release is a selection of Portugal’s most famous fados, arranged for and performed on Portuguese guitar by Custódio Castelo, lovingly selected by the master himself.

Nature, the cosmos and humanity are the inspirations for Joji Hirota's latest solo album, Prayer's Tale. Single-handedly playing 40 different Japanese and Asian instruments, combined with vocals, he weaves sounds of nature, emotions and colors of the universe into a beautiful soundscape. With Joji's circular instrument set up (various taiko drums, 13 different sizes of kin [prayer bells], six sizes of gongs, various bells and wind chimes) he can stand in the center and respond intuitively. "Everybody has their own personal circumstances... their own sense of 'universe'. Here, I try to express my own personal sense of Earth's history, human history, and my own outlook on the future through musical scenes, emotions, colors and nuances of sound." (Joji Hirota)

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 Cimarr�n. 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.