What do you get when you mix the rich and haunting sounds of Afghanistan, the tragic plight of its people, two UC Berkeley graduate students and one week in Kabul...’The Afghan Music Project.’ Desi Hits! is proud to bring you a first look at Adam Gouttierre and Chris Becherer who recorded music with a 7-player group including a female vocalist and a master rubab player (the ‘Lion of Afghan Instruments’). You thought the “hood” was a tough place to try and survive...these two crazy guys with a vision, recorded on location amidst kidnappings, protest riots, and civil unrest throughout the country. “Seeing first hand how Afghans passionately respect their music tradition and then understanding the censorship and oppression Afghan musicians had to endure over the last three decades was a life-changing experience,” said Gouttierre. The Afghan Music Project is now selling its digital recordings on over 50 online music stores, including Apple’s iTunes, where it recently reached as high as #12 on the World Music charts. All proceeds from the project will fund Afghan music teachers in Kabul who will teach music education to Afghan youth. www.afghanmusicproject.org