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To What Strange Place Vol 1 – Naughty Girl – The Music Of The Ottoman-American Diaspora 1916 to 1930

$11.99 ... LP (€9.08 || £7.66 || ¥1195) (approx.)

An amazing little set – one that shines a brilliant light on music made in America by immigrants from the dissolved Ottoman Empire – all cuts recorded in New York in the teens and twenties, but with a feel that's definitely got an other-worldly feel! The sounds are very exotic right from the start – unusual percussion, string inflections, and offbeat vocals – a melange of Middle Eastern modes brought together by the expansive power of the Ottoman cultural melting pot – then re-sifted by the cultural shakeup of New York! Turkish elements collide with Greek, Syrian, and other regional styles – and instrumentation is heavy on oud and violin, both played with very melancholy tones that possibly indicate a longing for the homeland. Spare percussion figures in often too – and the tracks are a mix of vocal and instrumental numbers – working together surprisingly well, despite the range of artists and nationalities. Compiled by Ian Nagoski, who also wrote the excellent notes and worked on the sound restoration!  © 1996-2013, Dusty Groove, Inc.