The Great 1960s and 80s

Uzbek music is a broad umbrella for the traditional, classical (maqom), folk, and popular styles of Uzbekistan. At its core lies the courtly shashmaqom tradition—a six-suite modal cycle (Buzruk, Rost, Navo, Dugoh, Segoh, Iroq)—alongside regional styles such as the Ferghana–Tashkent lyrical song (e.g., tanovar), the Khorezm maqom and the virtuosic Lazgi dance music. The sound world is modal, melismatic, and predominantly monophonic or heterophonic rather than harmonically chordal. Melodies unfold within maqom modes using microtonal inflections and characteristic cadences, and are supported by cyclical rhythms (usul) on the doira frame drum. Core instruments include long-necked lutes (dutar, tanbur, sato), the bowed ghijak, end-blown nai, double-reed surnay, ceremonial karnay trumpet, and various percussions. Vocal traditions range from intimate ghazal settings to the powerful, group-projected Katta Ashula and epic dastan singing by bakhshi storytellers. Over the 20th century, Uzbek estrada (popular song) and large ensembles blended these idioms with Western instruments and studio production, while post-independence scenes revived heritage performance practice and fostered globally minded fusions.