"At the crossroads of two great civilizations, the countries of Indochina invite us to dream", wrote Dominique Menguy, Doctor of the Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales (INALCO). Francis Engelmann, UNESCO adviser and art historian in Luang Prabang, Laos, explains that while the music of Laos and Cambodia have much in common with Indian roots, the music of Vietnam belongs to another cultural sphere closer to China. Franois Jouffa, who has been recording popular and traditional music in Asia for over half a century, has brought together the treasures of his in situ research in this 3-CD boxed set. While the History of Indochina, closely linked to France, has gone through so many tragedies, their artists still provide the soothing musical rhythms to all the events of social and religious life. Patrick FREMEAUX"