ALASH - Tuvan Throat Singers January 18, 2008

ALASH are masters of Tuvan throat singing, a remarkable technique for singing multiple pitches at the same time. The Washington Post described their music as “utterly stunning,” quipping that after the performance “audience members picked their jaws up off the floor.” In December 2007, the president of Tuva honored Alash member Bady-Dorzhu Ondar, only 23 years old, with the title of People’s Xöömeizhi of Tuva, the highest honor in throat singing.

What distinguishes this gifted young group from earlier generations of Tuvan throat singers is the subtle infusion of modern influences into their traditional music. One can find complex harmonies and contemporary song forms in Alash’s music, but its overall sound and spirit is decidedly Tuvan.

The musicians were trained in traditional Tuvan music since childhood. As students at Kyzyl Arts College, they formed a traditional ensemble. At the same time they learned about western music, practiced on hybrid Tuvan-European instruments, and listened to new trends coming out of America. They are dedicated to the music of their grandparents and generations past, and inspired by Sun Ra and Jimi Hendrix, finding ideas that mesh well with the sound and feel of traditional Tuvan music.

While touring the US, Alash has collaborated with distinguished American musicians. They have jammed with members of the innovative jazz ensemble Sun Ra Arkestra, and recorded CD tracks with Béla Fleck and the Flecktones (to be released in 2008).

Find more information about Alash and Tuvan throat singing at http://www.alashensemble.com

$15 at the door. No advance ticket sales.

Official Website: http://www.lily-pad.net/