The deep sonority of the Contrabass Panduri perfectly complements the twangy drones of the Tanbur. Though the two instruments come from neighboring regions, the Contrabass Panduri is so rare that this excellent pairing has perhaps never occurred. Until now.

A modern innovation, the Contrabass Panduri was modified from the traditional Panduri to answer the need Georgians had for a low-registry instrument for concert folk performances. It’s a true rarity of an instrument with perhaps only 10 existing in the country of Georgia itself.

The Tanbur is an ancient Middle-Eastern, long-necked lute-like instrument whose drones and picks have graced musical tradition from the Balkans, Turkey, and Arabia to Persia, India, and Central Asia. It goes by as many names as countries that claim it in their traditions, and is a definite classic instrument to add that “Eastern” sound.