From the mountainous region covering parts of modern-day Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Armenia, the Kurdish people practice a musical culture that is described by liner note author Christian Poché as "passionate" and "impulsive." Although it belongs to the same musical family as Persian music, Kurdish music is based on the use of the pentacord. The music's storytelling quality is another important feature of the tradition, demonstrated through songs portraying unrequited love, heroic adventures, and emotional healing.

Kurdish music can be divided into two general, distinctive categories: day and night music. Daytime music is music for festivities, whereas night music allows for moments of withdrawal and reflection. The five selections in this 1970 collection present examples of both types.