Description
Better known for conflict than music, this Rough Guide takes you way beyond the crossfire to explore the musical treasure house that is Afghanistan – revealing regional folk traditions, beautiful classical compositions and a rising popular music scene.
Compiled by world music editor and film maker Simon Broughton, this unique album brings together the traditions of a country that suffered under a radical ban on music imposed by the Taliban between 1996 and 2001. Although he died in 1979 aged just 33, Ahmad Zahir is still the most popular musician in Afghanistan. Known as the 'Afghan Elvis', 'Leili-Jan' is a love song and one of his greatest hits. A hugely popular Pashtun singer in the 1980s, Naghma left Afghanistan once the mujahideen came to power and when the Taliban fell it was her music, recorded in Pakistan, which was the biggest seller. Her song 'Meena Dakhklo Sanga Kaygi' is about a young girl asking for advice. Mahwash is the most respected female Afghan singer around and this album features her Sufi track 'Gar Konad Saheb-E-Man', as well as 'Mola Mamad Djan', one of the country's best-loved songs. Ahmad Sham Sufi Qawwali Group is one of the most highly regarded qawwali groups and their music can be explored further on the bonus CD.
This album showcases some of the different regional and ethnic styles of Afghanistan, and whether it is sung in Pashtu, Dari, Uzbek or Hazaragi, music is seen as a unifying force and for that reason alone, it deserves to be better known.
Enhanced Added Value: This CD contains a data track that includes music and travel from the Rough Guide books.
'congratulations to Broughton, who has done a very necessary job' 5***** stars, The Scotsman
'the Afghanistan you rarely get to hear about' 3*** stars, Songlines
'a truly valuable collection... unmissable bonus volume', fRoots
Track Listing :
02 - Mahwash - Gar Konad Saheb-E-Man
03 - Ghulam Hussain - Ba Ayadat Beya
04 - Ahmad Zahir - Leili-Jan
05 - Naghma - Meena Dakhlo Sanga Kaygi
06 - Farhad Darya - Salaamalek
07 - Safdar Tawakuli - Dobaiti Hazaragi
08 - Mashinai - Logari Tunes
09 - Ustad Rahim Khushnawaz, Gada Mohammad & Azim Hassanpur - Jâm-e Nârenji
10 - Mahwash - Mola Mamad Djan
11 - Homayun Sakhi - Kataghani
12 - Mehri Maftun - Dar Khyal-e Ishq-e Khuban
13 - Farhad Darya - Salaam Afghanistan
14 - Rafi Naabzada & Hameed Sakhizada - Sabza Ba Naaz Mea Ayad
15 - Ahmad Sham Sufi Qawwali Group - Rae Maykhana O Masjid
02 - Zikre Tu Chee Shireen Ast (Your Prayer Is So Sweet!)
03 - Mar Dar Do Jahan (I'm In Two Worlds)
04 - Sare Buredae Ma Ra (My decapitated Head)
05 - Choon Nai Ba Nawa Amad (Since The Reed Began To Sing)
06 - Beshnaw Az Nai Choon Hekayat Mekonad (Listen To This Reed Forlorn)
07 - Ay Sholae Hazeen (Oh Desolate Flame!)
08 - Dunya Kisa Ke Pyar Main (The Earth Is The Place Of My Love)
Music Style(s)
Afghan , Asian
Age Suitability
Young Adult , Thirty-Something , Young At Heart
Ethics
Ethically Produced
