Music for Shepherds & Sultans, Vol. II

This album is not a nostalgic search for authenticity buried in the ashes of the past. It stands as living proof that, through the original works and improvisations of true artists, a flame can pass from generation to generation without ever fading. Often hastily labelled “traditional” or “ethnic” because it is monodic and does not rely on Western harmony or instruments, makam music now reveals itself as a distinctly contemporary and evolving musical genre. As it has throughout history, this work once again affirms that makam music belongs neither to a single nation nor to a specific geography; it is, in essence, universal. As Jean-Jacques Rousseau emphasized in his Dictionary of Music: “The only true harmony is unison, the single voice.”

The artists behind this album do not merely understand the makams, their intervals, and melodic structures; they inhabit their aesthetics, their depth, and their profound sense of pleasure. Like jazz, flamenco, fado, or rebetiko, New-Makam music is now expanding into a universal dimension. This album stands as a luminous example that will inspire future generations of young musicians. Kudsi Erguner