Faroqhi, Pilgrims And Sultans:

Where space soothes and expands, this music sneaks in. Deep, sober, and generous, it is attentive to oneself and others. Tristan Driessens has once again chosen good partners, Cypriot violinist Michalis Kouloumis and Catalan multi-instrumentalist Miriam Encinas, to embark on a journey in search of parts of the world where shepherds and sultans are similar to ourselves. Elegance is meant to be shared. This album presents a mix of original compositions in the classical Ottoman style and anonymous rural dances from Cyprus, with the trio seeking to unite classical and popular music. The passage also highlights how popular traditions are deeply rooted in everyday life and draw their expressiveness from a cyclical journey of constant transmission and renewal, which gives them legitimacy in time and space.

Spies, Scandals, and Sultans is the first English translation of a fascinating and acidly critical portrait of the Ottoman capital of Istanbul during the days of the Sultan Abd al-Hamid.