The three 2010 CD/DVD releases covered here are just a taste of a stunning and comprehensive nine-volume Music of Central Asia set from Smithsonian Folkways that spans various musical traditions and innovations from a vast, overlapping region including Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and more. Each volume contains a CD, DVD and 40-plus-page booklet, with a wealth of information that details the history, native instruments and aesthetic principles of each ethnic group’s music. The series would be overwhelming if it weren’t so fascinating, as it encompasses a vast artistic landscape rooted in the deep history of the Silk Road.
Ismailimail 