The city of Bukhara is a florid oasis sitting at the crossroads on the dry and dusty steppe, midway between Iran, China, and Afghanistan. It was a main stop along the great Silk Road, which connected Europe to China. Textiles and spices were the stock in trade, but invariably merchants carried their favorite songs as well. As a result, the musicians of Bukhara became the hippest in all of Central Asia. On Sunday their exotic musical tapestry will be unfurled here when the group Shashmaqam comes to town.
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For centuries, the Bukharan Jewish musicians connected the many dots of central Asian culture. They were among the most distinguished artisans in the courts of the emirs and khans of the region. Uzbek, Tajik, Afghani, and Azerbaijani songs form the basis of their repertoire, known as shashmaqam. When the Soviets seized the reins, the music shifted from the feudal court to the concert hall, recording studio, radio station, and eventually, as circumstances for Soviet Jews deteriorated, overseas.
One of the more subtle pleasures of this music is its seamless bridge between Jewish and Islamic cultures. The music acknowledges a profound debt to the mystic Muslim dervish traditions as well as Jewish liturgical sources. It’s a delight to partake in a musical experience that honors the richness of these ancient roots without passing judgment.
