Exploration of roots is inevitably a good thing as music develops and takes on new colors; it enables listeners to go back and look at the starting point. And with a new Balkan music emerging,
Blowers from the Balkans gives the opportunity to examine at least a few of the origins of this music as performed on wind instruments. Culled from Romania, Macedonia, Hungary, Greece, and Albania, the cuts are divided into four sections, although the definitions are a little fluid. The Ottoman-Greek café music category, for example, shows influences from other areas, most notably Turkey. But these vintage tracks show similarities as much as differences, which makes them worthwhile as an academic listening experience. There's also the pleasure in having everything laid out, with good liner notes, as a guide through at least one part of the maze of Balkan music. ~ Chris Nickson