City Of Love

Ashkhabad

Released 09 May 1993

  1. Ayrylsa
  2. Aglar Men
  3. Bayaty
  4. Balam Seni
  5. Shalakho
  6. Yaman Ykbal
  7. Bibining
  8. Aisha
  9. Kakan Gyz
  10. Ketshpelek
  11. 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.

Listen

Reviews

  • There can be no doubting their love of and commitment to their traditional music. Folk Roots (UK)
  • These songs are pure intensity, with a romanticism so different from the sticky sweetness of the popular silver-screen hits World Music (UK)
  • The ballads are tear-jerking, the dances wild, the whole sound so amazingly universal and yet so easily placed on the map. CMJ (USA)
  • Raw, startling, uplifting and beautiful...truly sensational Orbit (UK)

Further Listening

  • Yol Bolsin

    Sevara Nazarkhan

    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’.
  • New Moon

    Abdelli

    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

Classic Sheila Chandra trilogy set for re-issue

British Asian World Music pioneer Sheila Chandra’s landmark trilogy of albums set for re-issue.

Simon Emmerson (1956–2023)

Peter Gabriel remembers the life and musical career of Simon Emmerson.

Track of the day: ‘Sajanava’ by Jasdeep Singh Degun

Sajanava is taken from Jasdeep Singh Degun's debut album Anomaly.

Guitarist Salif Koné demonstrates three musical styles from Mali

Rokia Koné and Les Amazones d'Afrique's guitarist demonstrates Mandigue, Bamana & Tuareg music.