Announcing Live at WOMAD 1982: a double album of unheard recordings from the historic first WOMAD festival
Wed, 08 June 22
City Of Love
Released 09 May 1993
- Ayrylsa
- Aglar Men
- Bayaty
- Balam Seni
- Shalakho
- Yaman Ykbal
- Bibining
- Aisha
- Kakan Gyz
- Ketshpelek
- Garagum Keshdeleri
Liner notes
The Orient has always been a cultural melting pot and so is the music of Ashkhabad. Atabai, Gassan, Sabir, Kurban and Khakberdy 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 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 felling and the romanticism of Ashkhabad’s music.
Further Listening
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Released 03 February 2003
A collection of folk and peasant songs from Uzbekistan, a country that formally broke with the Soviet Union in 1991 and has worked hard to reassert its rich cultural identity ever since. Imbued with echoes of Persian classical music and the meditational Sufi tradition, traditional Uzbek music takes the form of poetic songs called ‘maqams’. -
Released 26 June 1995
Abdelli is a Berber of the Kabyle people, indigenous North Africans who have inhabited the region since pre-Arab times. New Moon is the poetic and passionate music of a man who brings his ancient culture into the modern world through collaboration with musicians from South America and the Ukraine.
Further reading
New reissue series ‘Africa Sessions at Real World’ out this June
Celebrating Africa Day 2022, we're pleased to announce a reissue series focusing on African artists.
Wed, 25 May 22
Track of the day: ‘Gnawa Beat (Bayaka Remix)’ by Bab L’ Bluz
A new remix of 'Gnawa Beat' by Italian DJs and producers Bayaka.
Fri, 21 January 22
Africa comes to Real World: revisiting albums by six legendary artists
Jane Cornwell explores our new reissue series 'Africa Sessions at Real World'.
Wed, 25 May 22