THERE WHERE THE AVALANCHE STOPS

For one week in every five years, two thousand singers, dancers, and musicians along with fifty thousand spectators make their way to the small town of Gjirokastra in southern Albania for the Festivali Folkloric Kombelar. In the great castle overlooking the town, they participate in the incredible National Folk Festival of Albania, hoping to attain the highest level of interpretation and win one of the many awards available the festival... the banner, even. Considering the comparatively small size of the country (just over three million inhabitants), the range of instruments, styles, and costumes seen at the festival is exceptional, sustaining a folk tradition that dates back to ancient Illyria. The works presented here in volume one are all live recordings made at the Gjirokastra Festival, taken from six of the 26 participating districts: Vlora, Gjirokastra, and Lorca from the south, and Shkodra, Debra, and Tropoja from the north. The original compact disc, released in 1990, was a collaboration between The Institute of Popular Culture, Tirana, The Albanian Shop Ltd., and Touch. Edited from the original ' tapes, mastered and produced by Touch. Compiled by Mike Harding, Liam McDowall, and Jon Wozencroft. Features Drita Metushi & Pretash Nikaj, Fatmir Dandlli & Endri Fifo, Eli Fara & Luiza Mica, Sofika Babliku & Ferit Shkembi, Folk Orchestra Of Korca, Myfterim Kupa & Fatmir Duka, Ibrahim Muca & Islam Mustafa, and unknown artists. Notes revised by Mike Harding, May 2018. Edition of 300. ?Vlora:?01. Unknown Artist - Tana's Legend - Legenda e Tanes?02. Unknown Artist - If I Had Your Body - Une te kisha trupin send??Shkodra:?03. Drita Metushi & Pretash Nikaj - Fairy of the Highlands - Zane bjeshke?04. Unknown Artist - Blessed Albania, Her Leadership Illuminates Her Road - Lum Shqipnia ku merr drite??Gjirokastra:?05. Unknown Artist - In the Dropull Plain - Ne fushen e Dropullit?06. Unknown Artist - Karaguna?07. Unknown Artist - Untitled Melody - Melodi me fyej, dyjare, zile e imitues??Korca:?08. Fatmir Dandlli & Endri Fifo - Let Us Sing to the Brave Men - T'u kendojme trimave?09. Eli Fara & Luiza Mica - Mule-Driver of Grebene - Qeraxhi i Grebenese?10. Sofika Babliku & Ferit Shkembi - Korca, Your Son Has Come to See You - Korce moj te erdhi djali?11. Folk Orchestra Of Korca - Untitled Orchestral Melody - Melodi orkestrale??Dibra:?12. Myfterim Kupa & Fatmir Duka - I Am Waiting for You at the Sheep-Pen Gate - Po te pres te shtrunga e vathes?13. Unknown Artist - Bride's Dance - Valle e nureve?14. Myfterim Kupa & Fatmir Duka - The Sun and the Moon Don't Shine - Dielli e hana s'po bajne drite??Tropoja:?15. Ibrahim Muca & Islam Mustafa - There Where the Avalanche Stops - Ku pushon orteku I bores