MUSIC ON THE DESERT ROAD: TURKEY, SYRIA, JORDAN, IRAQ, IRAN, AFGHANISTAN, PAKISTAN, INDIA. A SOUND TRAVELOGUE BY DEBEN BHATTACHARYA

This sampler of sounds was recorded during an overland journey that looped from England to India and then back again, ending in Paris. Although kicking off without any music from the UK, and ending without any from France, it is nevertheless a stunning collection of field recordings from a 1955-56 excursion by Deben Bhattacharya (who also recorded and produced the last entry below). Included was a large booklet of beautifully printed photos by Deben, as well as exhaustive notes about regional cultures, the music and its musicians. Published by Angel Records (mainly a classical label), this 1956 release must have been a mesmerising snack plate for the armchair traveler/world music enthusiast. There are some stunning performances here that range from unaccompanied vocals to instrumentals with vocals, in particular the last track from India where a father and daughter sing a heart wrenching duet that taps cleanly into the source. In spite of the seemingly diverse range of music, you hear all the common threads you might expect from regions that, although politically and geographically separated, share common roots serving as a testimony to the beautifully interconnected patterns of the almighty folk continuum. From the liner notes:

“The music on this record represents selected pieces from a collection of over forty hours of recording made during an overland journey to India. The journey started from London in the middle of August, 1955, and ended in Paris by the following March. The rate of progress was fairly slow and my plans flexible in order to cope with the caprices and spirit of the musicians whose greatness lies in their skill in improrvising within traditional themes. In every country though which I passed, I found a living tradition of folk music, each folk musician leaving his individual mark upon the music of the country. These continuous but small additions and alterations are the natural spirit and life of folk song and music. Rigid laws and revivalism seem to push it towards artificiality and destruction.”

Angel Records, 35515, 1956

Side One:

1. Background noise of car on a mountain road fades into Central Anatolian dance music and song. The instrument Cumbus (Jumbus) has six sets of double strings and is a fairly popular and modern instrument. The words of the song, mostly unintelligible, seem to have little meaning other than letting the melody move and are improvised on the sopt. In one part of the song the words mean: “Let us go to Adana and make merry.” (3′30)
2. Mevludu Nebevi, recorded in Kilis, a Turkish frontier township on the Syrian border. It is a religious chant on the birth of the Prophet Mohammad and is chanted during funerals for the peace of the soul. This particular recording of Mevludu nebevi is in the local style of Kilis and is in a Syrian frontier dialect mixed partly with Turkish and Persian words as well as prayers in Arabic. According to the opinion of the experts, it is not an orthodox Islamic chant as it refers to Dervish symbolism. (4′26)
3. Rasd, song in praise of the prophet, recorded during the evening service of the Dervishes. It uses the same notes as the Western scale of melodic minor. The accompanying instruments are Nye pipe, Daff and Naqqara drums and large Ranajiate cymbals. Their were seven singers, four instrumentalists and three dancers who took part in the performance which was held secretly. The dancers, with their arms stretched horizontally, turn round and round representing the movement of the stars. The Dervish movement is not encouraged by the Islamic authorities of the Arab countries, hence the movement is banned by most of the Middle Eastern States. (1′59)
4. Bedouin dance music from Katana, twenty kilometers west of Damascus. A Bedouin girl singing and dancing in accompaniment with Fiashat cymbals, horsehair instrument Rababa and handclapping. The words of the song describe the beauty of a Bedouin girl and the cosmetics she uses to enhance it. Language: Syrian dialect of Arabic origin. An incessant rhythm on eight quaver beats to the bar is kept throughout the piece by Fiashat cymbals as the dance opens with the simple but lively melodic line. (2′25)
5. Bedouin coffe grinding, recorded in a Bedouin camp eight kilometers away from the Jordan frontier. The coffee grinding mortar and pestle of the Bedouins produces a rhythmic percussion sound - widely varied in its pattern - to invite stray Bedouins in the desert to join in with the coffee drinking. While one grinder gets tired, another takes over the pestle without interrupting the rhythm. The sound of a hand clearing the coffee from the mortar ends the recording. (1′51)
6.Kasam-e-Meru, a section from a Kurdish ballad accompanied by rattling spoons. The hero of the ballad, Kasam, was kiled in a local battle and his sister sings over his body. (2′17)
7. Baba Karam, folkloric love song from south of Tehran, accompanied by Zarb drum. Baba Karam was a mystic lover connected with Persian folklore. There are many folk songs still sung all over Iran which speak of Baba Karam’s love, and not all of them are, by any means, of serious nature. The present song is of a rather light-hearted type in which Baba Karam beseeches his beloved Zulekha: Whatever you do you are mine, but be careful not to beak you father’s heart which is made of glass! Language: Persian. After nearly five minutes of masterly rhythmic prelude in which the drummer employs even his own cheeks for producing rhythm, he starts singing. (4′33)

Side Two:

1. On a pair of Zarb drums, a drummer imitates the rhythm of a train. The whistle is produced by the mouth. (1′29)
2. Humayun. Modern orchestration of the traditional mode Humayun, using mixed instruments - both European and Persian - such as accordion, two violins, rattle, two Tars, Santur and Zarb drum. The present recording is only the instrumental prelude in the key of F minor, to a series of love songs in Humayun mode which continues for twenty minutes. (2′06)
3. Atan dance music on Surna and Dhol drum. It is a national dance of the Afghans, which is sometimes accompanied by instrumental music and at other times by instruments and chorus sung by the dancers themselves. The dance opens with slow movement of steps and gets faster witht he music. Usually it is performed during marriages and other national festivals. There is no rigidity about the number of dancers; as few or as many men available from a gathering can join in the dance (It is interesting to note that the reed instrument Surna - which is of the oboe family - can bee seen in practically all countries right from Jugoslavia to India. Though in other countries this instrument is used mostly in its primitive form, in India it has reached an extremely well developed state and is used in accompaniment with a reed drone called Svara). (1′38)
4. Neemakai, a popular form of Pasto folk song. This particular Neemakai is sung when the bride is being dressed up. Young girls gather round the bride, and while arranging her hair, sing this in the form of a chorus. Instruments: Sarinda (a string and bow instrument), Harmonium, Tabla and Banya drms and handclapping. (2′37)
5. Zila, recorded in Banaras, is a classical mode to be played late in the evening. It is played on a string instrument called Sitar, accompanied by Tala and Banya drums. (6′43)
6. Temple bells and drums from a Bengali Kali temple. The gong plays in 5/4 with intricate cross rhythm by drums and bells. Bhajan, a Hindi debotional song with the melodic line by a street singer and his child in Bombay. The song is accompanied by the singers with Ektara (a string drone) and cymbals. The words of the song describe the futility of the material world and declare that true security is found in God. (5′32)

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BRITISH TRADITIONAL BALLADS (CHILD BALLADS) IN THE SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS SUNG BY JEAN RITCHIE

Since England was the starting point for the above but was left out of the mix, I include this wonderful collection of traditional songs sung by Jean Ritchie. Ritchie came from a long line of Appalachian mountain people with musical roots. On this record Child ballads refers to a numbering system used by Professor Francis James Child of Harvard, who in the late 19th century did a five volume study of “The English And Scottish Popular Ballads.” His numbering system is still used, and thus any songs which are part of that system are referred to as Child ballads. Jean Ritchie is one of my favorite vocalists, especially when she sings and plays the dulcimer. This record has some beautiful and lively tracks, and is invaluable for anyone who loves her sound. The track “Hangman” is a particular favorite, with track four serving as a tie in to the above LP, referring to an Englishman imprisoned in Turkey, then freed by the kings daughter who winds up being his one true love. From the liner notes:

“All of us, Mom, Dad, and all thirteen children could write, but these old songs and their music were in our heads, or hearts, or somewhere part of us, and we never needed to write them down. They were there, like games and rhymes and riddles, like churning-chants and baby-bouncers and gingerbread stackcake recipes, to be employed and enjoyed when the time came for them. Nobody got scholarly about them and I have a feeling that’s why they have been genuinely popular all these years.”

Folkways Records Album No. FA 2301, 1961

Side One:

1. Gypsy Laddie (Child #200) (2′49)
2. False Sir John (Child #4) (4′21)
3. Hangman (Child “#95) (1′59)
4. Lord Bateman (Child #53) (6′02)
5. The House Carpenter (Child #243) (4′19)
6. Lord Thomas And Fair Ellender (Child #73) (5′32)

Side Two:

1. The Merry Golden Tree (Child #286) (2′13)
2. Lord Lovel (Child #75) (4′43)
3. Old Bangum (Child #18) (1′55)
4. Barbary Allen (Child #84) (5′03)
5. Fair Annie Of Lochroyan (Child #76) (9′03)

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THE PERSIAN SANTUR: MUSIC OF IRAN

Moving eastward while decidedly following the musical route (Silk Road) as featured at the top (as do the rest below, but with detours north), this LP contains some achingly beautiful compositions that although complex, reverberate with the appealing rhythms of the santur. Three of the four pieces were written by Nasser Rastegar-Nejad (featured) who also performs santur and vocals along with Fariba on violin, Manuchehr Hashemi, vocals, and Ali-Asghar Mirzadeh, domback. Released in 1971, this LP was less an introduction to traditional Iranian music, and more a (then) contemporary interpretation of the form (which given the conservative nature of the culture isn’t very far removed from its origins). All the same, the compound relationship between deft vocal performances and the delightful sounds of the santur make this one a vibrational standout.

Nonesuch Records, H-72039 (Stereo), 1971

Side One:

1. Nooruz dar ghorbat (segah) (13′14)
2. Chaharmezrab (homayun) (5′10)

Side Two:

1. Janne janan (shur) (11′39)
2. Zibaye khofteh (abu-ata) (8′48)

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KASHMIR: TRADITIONAL SONGS & DANCES VOL. II: RECORDED IN SRINAGAR & SARI DANGARPURA BY DAVID LEWISTON

Further east and then up the road a bit, music takes on a less severe tone, opening up like the lush mountain valleys and majestic landscapes that surround the people of the Kashmiri region. With musical tendrils in and out of the middle-east, India, and beyond, all the musical overlaps you would expect are here, and this music (as well as that on following two LP’s) contains some of the most beautiful sounds I have heard on any field recording album, in particular, the santoor (santur) jams combined with dukra (drums) and sarang performances. This and the two LP’s below were all recorded by the great David Lewiston, whose Nonesuch Explorer recordings have been featured here many times before. Not only did he gain unique access, but the quality of his recordings are unmatched - not to mention his selections. Brilliant! From the liner notes:

“The music heard here includes the Kashmiri classical form Soofiana Kalam (literally, “music of mystic content”); Band Jeshna (folk opera); and the other principal folk genres - the rove (dance music) and the chalant (a favorite song form). Soofiana Kalam emplys the santoor, a kind of dulcimer; the saz-i-Kashmir, a plucked stringed instrument; a dukra, a pair of drums. Band Jeshna performances are accompanied by surnai (folk oboes) and two kinds of drums, nagara and dhol. The most important instruments for folk music are the sarang and rabab - bowed and plucked stringed instruments, respectively - with the tumbaknari and nuht serving as percussion.”

Nonesuch Records, H-72069 (Stereo), 1976

Side One:

1. Masa Lai Tiri Meejganai Ta Loo Loo (4′30)
2. Sarang Solo (3′24)
3. Yaar Daadi Mukhasi Pheraan Dardi (5′16)
4. Rabab Solo (3′49)
5.  Instrumental Piece (3′05)

Side Two:

1. Soofiana Kalam (4′01)
2, Yuthna Chhman Serh Kaarakh (2′25)
3. Madan Varoo Ganiyam Rayi Chhanni (5.21)
4. Khandra Duhn (Wedding Tune) (3′59)
5. Music At A Kashmiri Wedding (4′34)

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MUSIC IN THE KARAKORAMS OF CENTRAL ASIA: RECORDED IN HUNZA & GILGIT BY DAVID LEWISTON

The air gets thinner and dryer as music creeps up the vertical walls of the arid mountain landscapes of the Karakorams. Like both the above and below, this music is laced with recognizable influences, creating a spellbinding opportunity to revel in parcel-chunk examples of folk music ala North-Central Asia. Alive and brimming, these amazing performances swirl through the dust and wildflowers, transporting listeners to states of grace and wonder. Primarily recorded in the city of Gilgit and the valley of Hunza, this music sounds like it belongs to the universe, as primitive instruments yield sonic blooms through your skull. From the liner notes:

“In ancient times the people of this region were Bon, that is, shamanistic, like the people of Tibet to the east. In the early centuries of the Christian era they turned to Buddhism; in recent centuries they have become Muslim. Most Hunzakuts belong to the Ismaili sect, owing allegiance to the Agha Khan, while both Shia and Shiite sects are found in Gilgit. They tend rich orchards of apricots, peaches, apples, and pears; grapes from the vines found throughout the orchards yield a light wine, and the fruit fo the mulberry is fermented and then distilled to produce a potent arak. Horses and cattle are pastured in remote, lush meadows; hunting the antlered ibex, far above snow line, is a favorite pastime and a topic for songs.”

Nonesuch Records, H-72061 (Stereo), 1974

Side One:

1. Buzm (2′50)
2. Birego (Springtime Song) (1′15)
3. Jeeay Surr (Thread of my Soul) (6′33)
4. “English” Tune (1′56)
5. Gul Punaky (2′50)
6. Dance of the Vultures (3′41)

Side Two:

1. Gilgit Polo Music (2′13)
2. Budl-e Hareep (2′35)
3. Buzm (1′58)
4. Hamalay Dasin (Neighborhood Girl) (4′02)
5. Music for Bitaan Ibraheem (excerpt) (4′16)
6. Unuy Asatay (In Your Memory) (4′23)

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FESTIVAL OF THE HIMALAYAS: RECORDED IN CHAMBA & KULU, HIMACHAL PRADESH BY DAVID LEWISTON

Completing the mountain journey with a trip to the top of the world, this music is primarily comprised of percussion and wind instruments, with horn flourishes here and there, all common to this part of the world. Primarily dance-based tunes usually with off-kilter rhythms and tempos that are subject to abrupt changes, the music maintains lively movement and pulsations for the dancing set - all whose revelry is captured in the recordings. The sounds of crowds reinforces the festival atmosphere, as voices and music rise to meet the mountain passes like incense offerings to the gods. From the liner notes:

“The town green is jammed with row after row of booths, restaurants and sweet shops, pan and cigarette wallahs, turbaned, bearded Sikhs selling cloth, Tibetans trading in used woollens, merchants selling the famous Kulu handwoven shawls. Meanwhile, a nearby amphitheater is packed with thousands of people watching dancing of the very best village groups from all over Himachal (most villages have their own distinctive dances and music. No dance group is complete without a pair of horns to add festive flourishes to the proceedings. There are two types: the straight horn (kahal; Kinnaur karnal) and the S-shaped horn (haransinga).

Nonesuch Records, H-72065 (Stereo), 1975

Side One:

1. Kulu Nati (Kulu Valley Dance) (2′40)
2. Kore, kore, coat Mereya Purana (Puran’s brown coat) (3′54)
3. Phota lo jatu ra khana, Lariye Khekhati (Red rice for my lover, Mrs. Khekhati) (4′28)
4. Tikmu Lariye (Mrs. Tikmu) (2′03)
5. Sahoo Nati (Dance of Sahoo) (6′11)

Side Two:

1. Kinnaur Song (3′50)
2. Shuki dali re panchhi roye (Weeping bird) (4′24)
3.  Chamba Nati (Dance of Chamba) (1′59)
4. Ek ta tu Khube Guru (Oh, Khube Guru) (2′03)
5. Kului Nati (Dance of Kulu Valley) (7′00)

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MUSIC FROM BANGLA DESH: THE LIVING TRADITION

Coming down from the mountains while moving eastward to journey’s end (as it follows the first post), this is yet another important link in the musical chain that follows the Silk Road, also recorded by Deben Bhattacharya twenty years after recording “The Desert Road” above. Unique to the region, music from this part of India is directly linked to it’s neighbors to the north, east and west, and finds sympathetic resonance with all the LP’s above. Bangla music has its own rich and complicated lineage which can still be recognized today. A genuine celebration of the human condition in all its forms. Dig it. From the liner notes:

“Geographically, Bangla Desh, situated in the north east of the Indian subcontinent and facing the Bay of Bengal, is the land of the Bengali speaking people, in all numbering over one hundred and twenty million. A river country, Bengal is well-known for its lush green landscape of endless paddy and jute fields thrown into sharp relief by the towering heads of the coconut trees and date-palms, massive fan-like foliage of the plantain and the mango trees. Proud of their literary and poetic heritage which flourishes still today, the Bengalis love their language as the well-spring of their culture.”

Argo Records (Decca), ZFB 74, 1972

Side One:

1. Dotara (2′44)
2. Songs Of The Freedom-Fighters (7′31)
3. Folksong From Noakhali (3′44)
4. Baul Song (4′08)
5. Patriotic Song (6′17)

Side Two:

1. Seasonal song (Mousumigiti) (4′55)
2. Love Song (6′16)
3. Wedding Song (5;51)
4. Song From Chittagong (5′04)
5. Bamboo Flute (2′49)

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