The Sharq Taronalari Festival of International Music takes place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan every two years. 2019 was the 12th edition, and my 4th time in attendance. The Sharq Taronalari Festival provides an opportunity to hear music not generally well represented on the festival stages we are more familiar with. Central Asia is represented as are all of the 'stans, along … [Read more...]
The Grace of Uzbek Dance
I have been to Uzbekistan quite a few times and last month marked my sixth visit. What made it different was that this time I was the guest of Zulya Rajabova and her Silk Road Treasure Tours, and I had a real guide – the lovely --and industrious-- Hilola Akhmedova assigned to show me around. As a result I caught the show at the Nodir Devon Begi Madrasa in Bukhara and was … [Read more...]
Guldoza live at WOMEX 2016
https://vimeo.com/278533335 Uzbek song is not well known here (even the pop music is obscure), but it is well worth investigating. I find that most of the traditional music coming out of Central Asia is beautiful and redolent of another time and place. That may eventually disappear with the assimilation of western harmonies and instrumentation, but thankfully the governments … [Read more...]