Various Artists - Folk Music of China 5 - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

This kicks off a new series exploring China's rich and diverse musical heritage. The songs featured in this recording are folk songs of the five minority ethnic groups of Qinghai and Gansu provinces - Tu, Bonan, Dongxiang, Yugur and Salar. As with Chinese traditional visual arts, the song titles explain their mood and origin. The five minority ethnic groups that perform on this album mainly live in seven autonomous counties under the administration of the Gansu and Qinghai Provinces in northwestern China. Bordering Qinghai to the west, Gansu is located between the Tibetan Plateau and the Loess Plateau. The Yellow River flows through the southern part of Gansu, where the Qilian Mountains are located. Volume 2, Folk Songs of Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang is scheduled for in October 2019.

Rock 'n Roll With The Modern Lovers is the second album released by The Modern Lovers. The band was formed in 1970 by singer, songwriter, and guitarist Jonathan Richman, augmented with Jerry Harrison (keyboards), Ernie Brooks (bass), and David Robinson (drums). Richman's friend John Felice joined them occasionally. Their sound almost totally focusses on the sound from the Fifties. The lo-fi record breathes folky roots music and rock 'n roll as it would sound ages ago. The album features the popular tracks InchIce Cream ManInch, InchRoller Coaster By The SeaInch, and InchEgyptian ReggaeInch. The latter was a cover version of Earl Zero InchNone Shall Escape The JudgementInch and became a UK Top 5 hit. Rock 'n Roll With The Modern Lovers is available as a limited edition of 1000 individually numbered copies on orange coloured vinyl.

This album features folk songs from the Tajik and Russian ethnic minority groups living in the western and northwestern areas of Xinjiang, China. These folk songs have an earthy beauty that is theirs alone. Many of the Tajik songs featured here are accompanied by the Rewap - an ancient stringed instrument made from mulberry trunks. The sound is similar to that of an acoustic guitar, but the tone is brighter and more elastic. Many of the Russian songs feature the Bayan (a type of accordion) and the Balalaika.