Much of the music on this album has been shaped, inspired or influenced by the spirit of angst that has prevailed in many parts of the world, born out of the consequences of oppression, injustice and war. Whilst this music comes from Armenia, Ukraine and the Lebanon, it speaks beyond its geographic boundaries. Militarism and violence may change their faces/names/ideologies, but the results are sadly universally tragic. ’Courage’ is not the sole property of soldiers in battle, nor are ’morality’ and ’love’ the unassailable turf of religion - as for ’honesty’ in politics ... we only need to look at cold reality to see corruption and hypocrisy in full glory. There are two important ways to respond to these realities of life: 1) to expose and deal with the darkness that lives within, or 2) to reveal the light that lives within us ... to nurture the spirit of wonder in the perpetual creation and evolution that life is. Both these realities are represented very powerfully in the music featured here, much of it inspired by rich folkloric traditions. This music carries with it a dream: that mankind can one day reach beyond make-believe boundaries imposed by ourselves, or those who will divide humanity into ’enemy and ally’ or ’us and them’ ... refuse to live and act out these destructive principles ... be free to see and exploit the endless possibility that life is when unrestricted and unconditional love are the heart of who we are.

Wissam Boustany