Turkey - Air Mail

In the late '90s, the French Air Mail label released at least 30 CDs for its series, Air Mail Music. Every CD focused on music from a different place, and those locations ranged from Cuba, Brazil and Portugal to Senegal, Vietnam, Scotland and Russia. Air Mail visited the Middle East with this CD, which focuses on traditional acoustic folk of Turkey (as opposed to modern Turkish pop). Air Mail Music: Turkey spotlights the type of improvisatory music that has been a part of the Turkish culture for centuries, and the instruments include violins as well as Middle Eastern instruments such as the oud (Arabic lute), the zurna (a type of oboe), the kanun (a zither) and the deblek and davul drums. One string instrument you won't hear on this disc, however, is the saz, which has been prominent in Turkish music. Extended jamming is definitely a high priority on this recording; in fact, Air Mail Music: Turkey contains as much improvising and jamming as a jazz session. It's unfortunate that none of the musicians or singers are listed -- for whatever reason, the discs in the Air Mail Music series failed to provide either personnel or recording dates. ~ Alex Henderson|