AQNAZAR
Raqs
BUDA 822672
World Music
Buda
Tagikistan
Aqnazar (lit. 'he who sees the truth') is an exceptional vocalist from the Mountains of Badakhshan (Pamir) in Tajikistan, where he is acknowledged as the region's greatest singer of both the folk-pop repertoire and erudite music. On this album he sings and plays the accordion, along with a rubob (lute) player and a percussionist (daf, tabla). The repertoire is quite festive, hence the name of the album (Raqs, a Persan word originating from Arabic, meaning 'dance'). Note that another CD, devoted to the great poet Rumi, will be released in the fall, showing the extent of Aqnazar's talent and the diversity of his repertoire.