SMITHSONIAN FOLKWAYS RECORDINGS TO RELEASE
'THE SILK ROAD:  A MUSICAL CARAVAN' 2-CD SET ON APRIL 23

UNIQUE 45-TRACK COLLECTION, WITH ACCOMPANYING ESSAY BY ACCLAIMED CELLIST
YO-YO MA, SURVEYS TRADITIONAL MUSICS OF EURASIA'S FABLED SILK ROAD


On April 23, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings will release  'The Silk Road:
A Musical Caravan.'  This 2-CD collection surveys the myriad musical
traditions that one might encounter while traveling the fabled Silk Road,
a historically and culturally rich region where, quite literally, "East
meets West."

The Silk Road trade routes that existed some 2,500 years ago and stretched
from China and Japan to parts of Europe, the Indian subcontinent, and
Africa, were, one could say, one of mankind's earliest forays into
globalization.  But these routes traversed a spectrum of cultures, each as
rich as it was unique.  'The Silk Road' explores the music of these
cultures.  It also demonstrates how cultural exchange was - and still is -
a steadfast companion of commerce.

This collection focuses on the music one might have encountered along the
so-called "Northern Silk Road," a route that spanned regions of China,
Afghanistan, Turkey, Armenia, Japan, Mongolia, and the Siberian republic
of Khakasia.  The music of these cultures, while disparate, does form a
coherent musical story.  And compared to the music of other Silk Road
cultures such as India and the Middle East, this story begs a wider
telling.

CD-1 of 'The Silk Road,' subtitled 'Masters and Traditions,' surveys what
would be considered the art or classical music of the Northern Silk Road
regions.  CD-2, subtitled 'Minstrels and Lovers,' features music composed
for a larger "pop" audience.

Much of the music on 'The Silk Road' comes from the personal archives of
the collection's producers, Jean During and Ted Levin, and has never seen
commercial release before.  The dates of recording span from 1966 to 2001,
but what all the music has in common is a legacy that stretches back some
2,500 years.  Acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma - who founded The Silk Road
Project cultural organization - addresses this legacy in an accompanying
essay.

The release of 'The Silk Road' coincides with the Smithsonian's 36th
annual Folklife Festival, to be held June 26-30 and July 3-7 on the
National Mall in Washington, DC.  Each year, the Folklife Festival
explores the cultural traditions of a different geographic region.  This
year, that region of focus is The Silk Road.  The Festival will feature
some 350 traditional artists - musicians, dancers, craftsmen,
storytellers, cook and more - from 20 nations.  Theses artists'
demonstrations will be accompanied by scholarly presentations and
children's activities.

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings releases are available from record and
book outlets, mail order at 800.410.9815 or at www.folkways.si.edu