Island music, Korean style. Excellent recording of shamanistic ceremony music from Jindo and Cheju islands and the sea ports of Kyeonggi and Donghae (Gangwon province). Features the kut, a ritual re-enactment of the cleansing of the soul before it reaches the spiritual world on Jindo Island. As well as sori (vocals) are taegum (transverse flute) ajaeng (zither) piri (oboe) changgo (hourglass drum) and kwaenggwari (gong). 5 tracks. 1. Jindo Ssit Kim Kut 2. Chejudo Chil Meo Ri Dang Kut 3. Kyoenggido Do Dang Kut. 4. Donghaean O Gut Kut / Mal-Won Kut. 5. Jindo Ssi Kim Kut / Neok Pulri.

First in a series of albums that showcase young Korean musicians performing traditional sanjo (scattered melodies). Sanjo developed from pansori and the shaman music from the southwest, was adapted in 1896 and is today the most popular instrumental genre. This CD features four musicians on four tracks. 1. Haegeum Sanjo (fiddle) played by Kim Sung Ah, a solo improvisation with percussion. 2. Daegeum Sanjo (bamboo flute) played by Sim Sang Nam. 3. Ajaeng Sanjo (bowed zither) played by Lee Tae Baek. 4. Sinawi, featuring all four musicians playing in an improvisational ensemble.

Part of the Korean Traditional Music/Great Soloist series, this wonderful CD features pansori vocalist An Sook Sun with her seven piece ensemble on changgo, ajaeng, daegeum and kayagum. P'ansori is Korea's solo operatic style, combining sori (song) with narration and dramatic action. The singer wears the traditional costume, hanbok, and often holds two props, a fan in the right hand and a handerchief in the left. An Sook Sun from Namwon City was born in 1949 and learnt pansori from the great Kim So Hwee and is the most popular pansori singer. This CD features 10 traditional tracks. 1. Gu-eum Sinawi 2. Farewell Song from the pansori, Chun Hyan Ga. 3. Yuk Ja Baeg i 4. Heung Taryeong 5. Dung Dang Gae Ta Ryeong 6. Gang Gang Sul Rae (traditional folk song) 7. Neol Ttui Gi 8. Dal Maj I 9. Pal Wol Ga 10. Eo Di Ro Galga Buda.

Kim Suk Chul has been designated a 'Living National Treasure' for his renditions of ceremonial music. He mainly plays the taepyongso, the 'great peace pipe', a double reed shawn. It is believed to have come from Xinjiang in northwest China and is considered one of the most difficult instruments to play. 5 traditional tracks.

Part of the Korean Traditional / Great Soloist Series. Park Byung Chun is a tenth generation shaman who presents the ritual music of shamanistic ceremonies from the southwestern island of Jindo. Park's vocals, ching (gong) etc..are accompanied by changgo, daegeum and ajaeng. 5 tracks.

Lee Yim Rye is another of the great pansori vocalists, her life immortalized in the film Hwimori. On this CD she performs four tracks, all from the pansori, Sim Cheong Song.

On this CD, the extraordinary National Treasure Kim Suk Chul plays changgo (hourglass drum), kkwaenggwari (gong) and hojok (or taepyongso) double reed shawm. The 'kut' is a ritual ceremony invoking the gods to ask for protection of the tranquility and prosperity of the village, a traditional centered on this disc in Kyeong-gi Province, central Korea.

Another CD of the 'kut' ceremony. The ceremony is performed to ensure the soul of a deceased person enters the next world. Music and dance traditionally serve to entertain the spirits, and food and drink is given to refresh them. This CD has seven musicians singing and playing changgo drum, haegeum, piri and jing. Six tracks, all traditional. Fascinating.

The kut ceremony from Jindo island. The vocal notes are held for several seconds which gives the music a slow and meditative quality. Six tracks, performed by seven musicians, on ajaeng, piri, buk, changgo and daegeum.

Korean popular music and drama has become extraordinarly popular in Japan in recent years. Maybe the same thing is about to happen now to traditional music, as this album is getting quite a promitional push. Yun He Gyong and Ha Myong Su are players of the haegum, the two stringed spiked fiddle, similar to the Chinese erhu, the Japanese kokyu or the Vietnamese dan ni. The haegum is very difficult to play, the musician sitting on the floor, the resonator supported by the right foot curled upwards in front of the left knee. Both musicians play the smaller so haegum on this CD of instrumental traditional and modern compositions. 8 tracks.

Fascinating CD of different versions of Korea's best known folk song 'Arirang', from North Korea to South Korea, sung by the greatest singers. Includes the soundtrack version of Arirang from the film of the same name released back in 1926.

Fascinating collection of folk songs and classical music,including the song, Arirang and Pansori.