Ashkhabad's "City of Love" and the music of Turkmenistan

[Prentiss Riddle]

I'm haunted by the music of the group Ashkhabad, as recorded on their
album "City of Love" on Pete Gabriel's "RealWorld" label. Does anyone
know whether Ashkhabad or its members still perform, tour, or have
recorded anything else? Can anyone recommend any other Turkmen music
in a similar vein?

I've read one review critical of Askhabad (see
http://www.cs.clemson.edu/~junderw/pg/reviews/real.world ), with which
I disagree -- I'm aware that Ashkhabad displays European influences,
but I happen to like those influences. Nevertheless, is there more
authentic Turkmen music I should listen to given the introduction I've
received from Ashkhabad?

Please follow up to alt.music.world. Thanks.

-- Prentiss Riddle ("aprendiz de todo, maestro de nada") rid...@rice.edu
-- RiceInfo Administrator, Rice University / http://is.rice.edu/~riddle

[Dave Dalle]

Prentiss Riddle (rid...@rice.edu) writes:
> I'm haunted by the music of the group Ashkhabad, as recorded on their
> album "City of Love" on Pete Gabriel's "RealWorld" label. Does anyone
> know whether Ashkhabad or its members still perform, tour, or have
> recorded anything else? Can anyone recommend any other Turkmen music
> in a similar vein?

Something I've discovered, all Turkish music is good. Though
they are actually from Turkmenistan. You can go two ways, and will
probably be happy with both. Either into Russian music (ie Odessa
Balalaikas or the Terem Quartet), or (it should be and) into real Turkish
music (and other arabic music, by doing this--spreading your musical taste
around the globe in a logical, derivitave fashion--you will soon like all
world music, also a good idea)

Dave
--
The wonderful thing about Tiggers, Is Tiggers are wonderful things
Their Tops are made of rubber, and their bottoms are made out of springs
They're bouncy, trouncy, bouncy, flouncy, fun fun fun fun fun!
But the most wonderful thing about Tiggers is, I'm the only one!

[Dave Dalle]

Anastasia Tsioulcas (ai...@columbia.edu) writes:
>
> Um..."Turkish" isn't the same as "Turkmeni," nor is it the same as
> "Arab." Be careful with your labels, Dave: you might offend someone.
> Just a thought...

Nope it's not, you're right, but all music is related through cultural
evolution. People shouldn't get offended by examining similarities between
cultures. It's really fascinating how you can start in the Indian
sub-continent and weave your way through the Middle-east and Europe, seeing
(hearing) the progression of all the musics. Or start from the Indian
sub-continent and work your way further east. This way you can come to
appreciate all musics and all cultures.

[Prentiss Riddle]

I wrote:
> I'm haunted by the music of the group Ashkhabad, as recorded on their
> album "City of Love" on Pete Gabriel's "RealWorld" label. Does anyone
> know whether Ashkhabad or its members still perform, tour, or have
> recorded anything else? Can anyone recommend any other Turkmen music
> in a similar vein?

The first place I should have looked was sitting on a bookshelf right
behind me: the terrific handbook "World Music: The Rough Guide" (ISBN
1-85828-017-6). The book has a chapter on Russia and the New Republics
which attempts to provide an introduction to Central Asian music in a
couple of pages. Ashkhabad's CD seems pretty clearly to be their
recommended starting point for neo-traditional Turkmeni music, but
their discography also recommends the following titles, all
compilations featuring various artists from various Central Asian
states:

"Asie Central" (Ocora, France)
"Badakshan" (Pan, Netherlands)
"Bukhara: Musical Crossroads of Asia" (Smithsonian Folkways, US)
"Voix de l'Orient Sovietique" (Inedit, France)

In short, it doesn't sound like there's much readily available on CD
which quite matches Ashkhabad. Pity.

By the way, the Rough Guide seems to feel that the strongest external
influence on Turkmeni music comes from Iran, whereas some of the other
Central Asian musics have more direct links to Afghanistan or Turkey.
Of course, the four winds blow through all of these musical cultures.

-- Prentiss Riddle ("aprendiz de todo, maestro de nada") rid...@rice.edu

-- Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of my employer.

[Prentiss Riddle]

Prentiss Riddle (rid...@rice.edu) wrote:
| I'm haunted by the music of the group Ashkhabad, as recorded on their
| album "City of Love" on Pete Gabriel's "RealWorld" label. Does anyone
| know whether Ashkhabad or its members still perform, tour, or have
| recorded anything else? Can anyone recommend any other Turkmen music
| in a similar vein?

Rough Guide recommends the following compilations:

| "Asie Central" (Ocora, France)
| "Badakshan" (Pan, Netherlands)
| "Bukhara: Musical Crossroads of Asia" (Smithsonian Folkways, US)
| "Voix de l'Orient Sovietique" (Inedit, France)

To which one kind person added:

"Turkmen Epic Singing" (Auvidis/UNESCO, France)

By the way, I hear that Ashkhabad is at outs with the Turkmen
government again, which the World Factbook describes as "former
communist". Rumor has it that's why they aren't touring or putting out
more albums. Pity.

-- Prentiss Riddle ("aprendiz de todo, maestro de nada") rid...@rice.edu

-- RiceInfo Administrator, Rice University / http://is.rice.edu/~riddle

-- Home office: 2002-A Guadalupe St. #285, Austin, TX 78705 / 512-323-0708