The Rough Guide To The Music Of Yunnan

Various Artists

World Music Network RGNET1421CD Sometimes the opening cut from a classic album announces its importance like a light being switched on. So it is with that from The Rough Guide To The Music Of Yunnan as Gen Dequan’s ‘Ancient Melody of the Dai gourd pipe’ kicks in, launching this overview of what might just be China’s most musical province. Despite occupying only 4.1 per cent of its total land mass, this geographically and culturally diverse province in China’s far southwest punches above its weight, for which it has long been revered by musicologists. Any readers who enjoyed the music of the group Manhu, whose international debut featured in the July 2020 issue, will soon recognise the gleeful folkloric tone of some of these artists. In fact, Manhu can even be heard collaborating with Jenny and the Hog Drovers on ‘Banquet Dance’. Although much of Yunnan’s folkloric wealth is ‘frozen in time’, there’s an obvious readiness to embrace foreign or western sounds like rock and reggae, which gives this collection an accessibility that those new to Chinese folklore will probably find appealing, while a canny track sequence adds listenability. ★★★★★