Two years ago I was fortunate enough to attend the Sharq Taronalari festival that is held every two years in Samarkand, as a guest. It has given me a bug for the place, and I recommend Uzbekistan as a travel destination, as not enough people really know or understand this part of the world. The country is rich with historical monuments, extraordinary textiles, warm and hospitable people and of course, music.  Not that the music is immediately accessible to the Western ear, and I was finding it quite demanding. One day I sat my assigned interpreter, Dilnoza Mamadaliyeva, down and said "Tell me about Muggam. Maybe you can help me to appreciate it better." So here is Dilnoza doing just that.

Much later on, we were able to acquire the fine Smithsonian series you have been watching on Link, but the other day, I discovered this tape from years ago.  Hey Dilnoza! I hope you're still singing.

A word about the technical problems...I should have known better than to place Dilnoza in front of a bright window. Every time she waved her hands, my camera tried to compensate, resulting in a flicker. Apologies.  And if anyone wants to know more about my travels in Uzbekistan, a memoir is available on request ;-)