CD Review: Sakina's 'Roye Mi'

Sakina
Roye Mi
ARC Music

A native of Kurdish Turkey, Sakina is an Austrian and German-based singer and composer that represents the folk and traditional music of Kurdistan - a region that includes Turkey, Iraq, Syria, and Iran. The ten-track release is rich with jazzy, upbeat, and sometimes mournful melodies and rhythms that are reminiscent of mugam music indigenous to the Middle East. Sakina employs various instruments to the mix to create a rich sound and highly-textured musical outcome. Some of the instruments you will hear include the German flute, guitar, violin, cello, bass, drums, oboe, piano, bilur, kemane, duduk, qanun, tembur, zurne, davul, and arbane. The music drifts into various regions across the Middle East and Central Asia with ease. The beautiful instruments, heartfelt vocals, and excellent musical delivery makes Roye Mi a winner all-around. It is the quintessential work of Sakina's being. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Alim Qasimov And Fargana Qasimova's 'Intimate Dialogue'

Alim Qasimov and Fargana Qasimova
Intimate Dialogue
Dreyer Gaido

Azerbaijani father and daughter, Alim Qasimov and Fargana Qasimova, respectively, showcase their instrumental and vocal talents on Intimate Dialogue. There are only four songs in all, but the album runs nearly one-and-a-half hours long. The first song, "Mugham Shushtar," features Fargana's melismatic vocals with Ra'uf Islamov on kamanche, Ali Asgar Mammadov on tar, and Alim Qasimov on daf. "Mahur" features Alim Qasimov on vocals and abovementioned instrumentalists. "Mugham Bayati Shiraz" and "Eraq Tesnifi" contains both Alim's and Fargana's vocals, along with a stirring mix of instrumental arrangements that are very up-tempo in spots. The entire album was recorded live at Morgenland Festival Osnabruck in August 2009. The final round of applause at the end of the album sums it up quite nicely. ~ Matthew Forss 

CD Review: Sevara Nazarkhan's 'Tortadur'

Sevara Nazarkhan
Tortadur
Sevara Music

Sevara leaves the flashy, pop-oriented flavor of earlier works behind--the original tone of Ne Kechar and Sen. On Tortadur, Sevara returns to the traditional form, incorporating all of the characteristic instruments, including the doira, nay flute, and dutar. There are no drum kits, bass, guitars, or showy electronic adornments. Instead, the music is stripped-down and incredibly inviting. Sevara’s vocals are rather pensive and restrained compared to other artists. The folk music of Munadjat Yulchieva is the most representative Uzbek musician in a similar style. However, Sevara’s music is quieter from a vocal perspective. Nevertheless, Sevara excels in a traditional form without sacrificing integrity or quality. Sevara has matured as a musician and is now in a league all her own. ~ Matthew Forss