Born in Tashkent, Turgun Alimatov was self-taught, learning dutar at age nine and tanbur at fifteen by ear from his father and from radio and records. He performed on Tashkent radio from 1948 to 1982 and is solely credited with reviving the sato (bowed tanbur), which had died out in Uzbekistan for decades, when he took it up in 1957. He was named People’s Artist of Uzbekistan in 1991. He died on December 17, 2008, at age 86.

Mood and energy: Meditative, austere, virtuosic. Recommended uses: reflection, meditation.

Sacred Ground Confidence Score: 5 out of 5 stars   Final recommendation: Approved.

Why this artist belongs in Sacred Sounds: A singularly important Uzbek classical musician credited with single-handedly reviving an entire instrument, the sato, giving the collection genuine Central Asian representation distinct from the Armenian and Persian traditions.