Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan ... of my gosh, all those 'STANS. Intrigued by world musics? This is a worthwhile additional to a broad-based world music collection or a great introduction to Central Asian music for those who like to take a walk on the auditory wild side. This Rough Guide compilation is a mix of both classical and popular Central Asian music, something that is very hard to come by elsewhere.

lots of things depending on which track your on. the popular selections are mostly very dynamic and great for giving you that extra boost of energy. The classical selections appeal to more contemplative moods.

Ulytau's opening track. It's pure energy expressed as music. The two Tajik popular tracks from Farzin and Nobovar both carry that je ne sais quoi that makes Tajik popular music so uniqur and special. The passion in Shurali Juraev's voice when he calls out to his fellow Uzbeks is heart-rending and Ayjemal Ilyasova's "Song of Karara" will haunt you long after the music dies away.

Raushan Orazbaeva's "Akku" (Track 10). I have such an open mind when it comes to music that my brain nearly falls out, but there was just nothing I could relate to in this work. Perhaps others will hear it differently.

This disc could be a great springboard for learning about or/or discussing Central Asia. This is a region of the world we can't continue to ignore because of its importance for global security, because of its potential economic importance, because of the glaring abuses of human rights still occuring in post-Soviet Central Asia, and because ignorance of Central Asia means missing out on some really interesting cultural knowledge.

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Created Apr 04, 2006 at 2:47pm • Submit your own review...