The authentic sound of Central Asia: driving rythms intertwined with richly textured melodies and a beauty that transports you to Scheherazade's stories of A Thousand and One Nights.

Allo Allaev was born in 1932 in Samarkand, in the central Asian republic of Uzbekistan, to a family steeped in the music of Tajikistan and the Jews of Bukhara. His father, Nisan, was an acclaimed singer and tanbur player and his mother, Adino, was considered the most brilliant Doyra (frame drum) artist in the whole of Samarkand.

A major station on the Silk Road, Samarkand stands at an ancient cultural crossroads: Its music blends influences as diverse as Turkish, Persian, Chinese and, latterly, Russian. Allaev took up the doyra at an early age, made rapid progress, and was soon appointed first percussionist of the Folk Opera Company of the Tajikistan capital, Dushanbe. During the 1960's and 1970's he toured Europe, the Far East and Africa as a member of several Soviet folk troupes, and was even awarded a gold medal by then-Emperor Haile Selase of Ethiopia in recognition of his brilliant performance in the African country.

Ten years ago, the Allaev family emigrated to Israel and made an immediate impact on the local music scene. The Allaev family band was soon in great demand, and its members have accompanied Israel's best-known artists from widely varying musical disciplines, including ethnopop diva Ofra Hazza, internationally acclaimed songstress Noa, cross-cultural ethnic band East-West Ensemble, local rock star Haim Tzinovich, Middle Eastern singer Zehava Ben, pop icon Rita, singer-songwriter Eti Ankri and countertenor David Da'or.

The band's repertoire incorporates ancient Tajikistani songs and Jewish-Bukharan compositions, passed down through the generations and embellished with the family's unique adaptations.

The multitalented 8 musician ensemble includes Allo's two sons Ariel (vocals, accordion, percussion and keyboards) and Shalom-Amin (percussion).

Allaev's upcoming CD and live show features collaborations with some of Israel's leading musicians and producers. The album brings the unique melodies that came with the Allaevs to Israel closer to the contemporary 'ear', while preserving the age-old compositions' original beauty and emotion.

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