Graham Stewart's rotation of music in 2020
1. Funereal and Shamanic Chants from Jindo Island, Korea. Fascinating recordings of traditional Korean shamanic and funeral rites, accompanied by small ensembles. Ocora, 2018.
2. Farida Parveen Songs of Lalon Shah. Exquisitely beautiful collection of songs written by 19th century Bengali mystic and philosopher Lalon Shah. Ocora, 2017
3. Haïg Sarikouyoumdjian The Art of the Duduk. Haïg Sarikouyoumdjian makes his own instruments and reeds, which adds to the feeling personal and unique feeling of this duduk album. Not at all what was expected. Ocora, 2020.
4. Chants & Musique Pinpeat Ballet Royal du Cambodge. Recorded and released in 2010, these three long ballet accompaniments are performed by a 10 piece Pinpeat orchestra. Exquisitely beautiful. Buda Records, 2010.
5. Sixto Silgado & Los Gaiteros de Punta Brava. Sixto Silgadod was 70 when this music for two gaitas (Colombian vertical flute made from cactus) and three percussionists was recorded. It feels both virtuosic and effortless, yet contains complex rhythms and melodies ... the work of master musicians. Ocora, 2012.
6. Pays Basque: Kantuketan. 2 CDs, released in 2006, rich with extremely diverse vocal music from the Basque regions of France and Spain, all sung in Euskara. Ocora, 2006.
7. Sehyung Kim Three Sijo. I loved every minute of this CD by Kazakhstan-born composer Sehyung Kim, based on the Korean poetic form, Sijo. Beautiful, sparse, sustained compositions for duets or small ensemble. Perfect music. Austrian Grammophone, 2020.
8. Hyejin Yoon 정념 情念 / Thinking Being Irresistibly Burnt ... Great performances on traditional Korean instruments by the Jeong Ga Ak Hoe ensemble, of compositions by Yoon Hyejin. Absolutely superb and utterly genuine music, I didn't want it to end. AkdangEban, 2009.
9. Dasom Baek Nothingness. Excellent first solo CD from Korean daegeum player and composer Baek Dasom. Very deliberate and controlled performances for daegeum, loops, and electronics. A complex album that feels very personal and gets better and better with each attentive listen. Self-released, 2020.
10. Michael Ranta Die Mauer. Stunning set of pieces by German percussionist Ranta, composed as a ballet accompaniment. Fantastic, cycling combinations of percussive, electronic, abstracts sounds. Metaphon, 2019.
(part 2 in a series of contemporary artists' best of lists for 2020)
