Afghanistan Untouched [coll] – [Traditional Crossroads]

All tracks on this album were recorded in Afghanistan by ethnomusicologist Mark Slobin in 1968. This was before the Soviet invasion and Taliban and the resulting wars. Music of the Tajik, Uzbek, Hazara, Pashtun, Herati, Kazakh, and Turkmen people includes a variety of lutes, bowed instruments, percussion, flutes and other wind instruments, and vocals. Most recordings were done live in public places so talking and laughter is sometimes heard. To my ear this is very beautiful and complex music, completely enjoyable in itself, not just a novelty snapshot of traditional music. Liner notes are excellent for background and track by track information.