Ulyap Songs – Beyond Circassian Tradition

Ulyap is a village in the Caucasus, where one can find an enormous number of accordion and harmonica players. “Ulyap Songs: Beyond Circassian Tradition” represents an attempt to document ancient bards‘ chants and their entanglement with popular rural heritage as well as Soviet culture during modern times, through a critical prism. Interacting with a rich book on the subject, this issue reflects on a music phenomenon involving talented female and male musicians, performing in lively (and sometimes festive) social dynamics. It does so by revealing important songs of the repertoire on the one hand, and inviting original artists to experiment with Ulyap songs on the other.