Oriental Traditional Music from LPs & Cassettes: Jurakhan Sultanov (1893-1964) - Old Masters of Arts of Uzbekistan, Vol. 18 - LP published in Soviet Uzbekistan in 1986 (1950s)

Jurakhan Sultanov (Jura-Khon Sultanov, Джурахон Султанов) was considered the greatest voice in classical Maqom music in Uzbekistan in mid twentieth century. He had an extremely powerful and beautiful voice. In 2011 we posted a double LP which had one track by him. See here. He belonged to the Maqom tradition of the Ferghana Valley. Unfortunately there are not many recordings by him. Partly this is due to a Russian who was the director of the radio at that time. He always thought that the singer had a sore throat and asked him to come back when he felt better.

Here we present an LP re-released in 1986. It was originally published in the 1950s. At least one track (no. 4) was recorded already in 1938.

For a long time he sang together with his best student Mamurjan Uzakov (1904-1964). See the two cassettes we posted in 2011 here. Around 1955, Mamurjan Uzakov started a career on his own.

On this LP one hears in most tracks two singers in perfect "vocal unison" (jura avazi), also called "in a single breath" (ham nafas).

Information partly taken from the booklet of the wonderful CD "Ouzbekistan - Les Grandes voix du passé (1940-1965)", unfortunately no longer available for many years (Ocora, C 560142, 1999). This CD has three tracks by the singer. The booklet was written by Jean During.

Here the track information of our LP in transcription and translation:

1. Okh, kim (folk music - Z. Furkat); 2. V sadu (folk music - Z. Khabibi); 3. Besh parda suvora (classical melody - Agakhi, A. Navoi); 4. Sodirkhoi ushshogi (folk music - Dzhami); 5. Savti suvora (classical melody - Agakhi); 6. Gde moya lyubimaya (folk music - Lutfi); 7. Khanuz (folk music - A. Navoi); 8. Bulmish (A. Khatamov - A. Navoi).

The names in the brackets are the poets of the songs. The first name in the last track is probably the composer of the song, the famous singer Orifxon Xatamov. See our posts of this great singer here.

The accompanying singers are:

Mamatbuva Sattarov, Zakirdzhan Ergashev (7), Mamurdzhan Uzakov (4), Arifkhan Khatamov (Orifxon Xatamov) (8).

Accompanied by an ensemble of folk instruments.

Recorded in the 1950s.

Seriya «Stareyshiye mastera iskusstv Uzbekistana» (Old Masters of Arts of Uzbekistan), vypusk 18 (volume 18).