Afghanistan: On Marco Polo's Road

various artists compilation - Afghanistan: On Marco Polo's Road

music and performances by the musicians of Kunduz and Faizabad

With the Kunduz River flowing down from the Hindu Kush mountains, rows of pine and willow trees, spacious city streets, and horse carts with bells - Kunduz, the main city of northern Afghanistan, is a delightful, attractive town. Although it prospered as a geographic crossroads between Mazar-i-Sharif to the west and Badakhshan to the east, with Tajikistan 60 kilometers to the north, Kunduz is also surrounded by the fertile and extensive agricultural tracts of the Afghanistan breadbasket.
The area's music reflects the population. Tajiks and Uzbeks are the major groups in northern and northeastern Afghanistan, and Tajiks are the main inhabitants of Kunduz and Faizabad. Musical groups also are primarily Tajik with occasional Uzbeks mixed in.
Faizabad is the main city in the northeastern region of Badakhshan. The most northeastern section of Badakhshan, containing the long, narrow, corridor-like Wakhan Valley, is a militarily strategic area, bordering on the former Soviet Union, Pakistan, and China. Faizabad lies on the eastern edge of Badakhshan, and its music has an earthy charm.
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The ghichak, a simple instrument that uses a tin can for the sound box, is related to the kamancha, seen in Turkey and Iran. It is particular to northeastern Afghanistan and rarely seen elsewhere.
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The plucked panjtar, meaning "five strings," is a large, long-necked lute similar to the tanbur.
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The zirbaghali, or "under the arm," is a vase-shaped drum like the Iranian dombak or Turkish darabukkah. The drum skin covers the wide end, and the other side is open. Found commonly in all regions of Afghanistan, it is played held over one knee.
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The robab is a short-necked lute characterized by a large, boat-shaped sound box constricted in the middle like a guitar.
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a dambura [is] a simple, two-string lute with a long neck that characteristically produces a dry tone and finely clipped notes. Primarily used in the north, it is probably related to the central Asian dombura; the unique timbre of each instrument creates an artlessly distinctive sound environment. (Akihiro Takahashi)

Tracklisting:

1. Saleh Mohammed, Ghulam Sakhi and Fakbrudin - Badakhshani Charbaiti (farkhar) {7:40}
Saleh Mohammed - ghichak; Ghulam Sakhi - zirbaghali; Fakbrudin - tar; Recorded August 1973 at Kunduz

2. Saleh Mohammed, Ghulam Sakhi and Fakbrudin - Charbaiti, Batcha Moshi Mosh {7:59}
Saleh Mohammed - ghichak; Ghulam Sakhi - zirbaghali; Fakbrudin - tar; Recorded August 1973 at Kunduz

3. Saleh Mohammed, Ghulam Sakhi and Fakbrudin - Tajik Charbaiti (farkhar) {8:33}
Saleh Mohammed - ghichak; Ghulam Sakhi - zirbaghali; Fakbrudin - tar; Recorded August 1973 at Kunduz

4. Ghulam Rasul and Ghulam Mohammed - Tajik Charbaiti and Mondanabosh {10:49}
Ghulam Rasul - panjtar; Ghulam Mohammed - zirbaghali and vocal; Recorded August 1973 at Kunduz

5. Ghulam Mohammed - Zirbaghali Solo {0:55}
Ghulam Mohammed - zirbaghali and vocal; Recorded August 1973 at Kunduz

6. Saleh Mohammed, Ghulam Sakhi and Fakbrudin - Uzbek-Pashtun-Herati Folk Songs {6:18}
Saleh Mohammed - ghichak; Ghulam Sakhi - zirbaghali; Fakbrudin - tar; Recorded August 1973 at Kunduz

7. Abdul Aziz, Mohammed Yasin and Kaka - Badakhshani Folk Song {5:48}
Abdul Aziz - robab; Mohammed Yasin - zirbaghali; Kaka - harmonium and vocal; recorded August 1973 at Faizabad

8. Mohammed Yasin, Abdul Aziz, Kaka and Delawar - Farkhar: Badakhshani Folk Song (1) {5:39}
Mohammed Yasin - zirbaghali; Abdul Aziz - dambura; Kaka - ghichak; Delawar - tar; Recorded August 1973 at Faizabad

9. Abdul Aziz and Kaka - Farkhar: Badakhshani Folk Song (2) {7:56}
Abdul Aziz - dambura and vocal; Kaka - zirbaghali; Recorded August 1973 at Faizabad

10. Abdul Aziz, Kaka and Amir Mohammed - Falak (Horse Driver's Song) {3:42}
Abdul Aziz - dambura; Kaka - zirbaghali; Amir Mohammed - vocal; recorded August 1973 at Faizabad

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