Thraki & Thrace: Paths of Dionysus

In Greek mythology, Thrace is defined symbolically as "the daughter of Oceanus, sister of Europe, Asia and fertile Libya." Thus, even in ancient times, emphasis is placed on the unique role played by this region as a crossroads of the cultural networks of the East and West. In the region of Thrace, musical borders between Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey blur in a cultural continuum that is evident in the unique features of it's music and it's dances. The Rodopi Ensemble, named after the largest mountain range in the area, are from the Greek part of Thrace and the band has been performing for more than twenty years. They play with the mastery and traditional styles of their region. This album is a multi-colored mosaic of sounds, with clarinet, violin, kanun (Middle-Eastern zither), lute, toubeleki (Greek drum) and vocals.