The Blind Boys of Alabama to receive Lifetime Achievement Award from Americana Music Association
The cermony takes place on 18 September at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium.
Wed, 03 July 24
Ashkhabad
Ashkhabad is the capital of Turkmenistan and its cultural heart. The city's finest musicians have come together and called themselves Ashkhabad, a word which derives from the Persian language and means 'city of love. '
The Orient has always been a cultural melting pot and so is the music of Ashkhabad. Atabai Tsharykuliev (vocals, tar), Gassan Mamedov (violin), Sabir Rizaev (clarinet, soprano saxophone, serp, nagara), Kurban Kurbanov (accordion, piano) and Khakberdy Allamuradov (dep, serp, nagara) play an exciting mixture of traditional Turkmenian music infused with elements from Persia, Azerbeidjan and Turkey. They have been influenced by everything they’ve ever heard: from the sounds of the desert to jazz and rock.
When John Leckie – best known as a producer of guitar rock bands – first heard Ashkhabad, he was struck by their musical mastery and by the heartfelt beauty of their music. He knew instantly he had to go into a studio with them.
The result is a completely acoustic recording – truly unplugged. It captures the intensity of feeling and the romanticism of Ashkhabad’s music.
Atabai Charykuliev, whose image featured so strikingly on the cover of City of Love, died in Ashkhabad in March 2009.
Releases
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City Of Love
Ashkhabad take their name from the capital city of their home state of Turkmenistan, formerly a part of the Soviet Union. With violin, keyboards, accordion, clarinet, saxophone and percussion, City of Love ranges from wildly romantic melodies to the vibrant folk music of their roots.
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A Week Or Two In The Real World
Various Artists
This album is the second of two volumes of music culled from the legendary Real World Recording Weeks of 1991 and 1992. It features fascinating musical encounters between established and lesser-known artists from across the world.
Further reading
The Breath announce Keep it Safe EP
The Breath, Ríoghnach Connolly (voice, shruti and flute) and Stuart McCallum (guitar, effects), ann...
Fri, 11 October 24
10 years of resistance: Les Amazones d’Afrique’s fight continues on Musow Danse
Righteous anger has never felt so warm and convincing. Or so goddam danceable.
Thu, 15 February 24
Track of the day: ‘Too Many Have Gone’ by The Breath
The Breath reveal their first new music since the release of their third album, Land of My Other. A...
Fri, 19 July 24