The Story of a Blind Blues Musician's Triumphant Journey to the Lost Land of Tuva The Artists
Kongar-ol Ondar is from Tuva, a lost land in Asia ringed by mountains, where nomads still name their sons Chinggis after G...
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The Story of a Blind Blues Musician's Triumphant Journey to the Lost Land of Tuva
The Artists
Kongar-ol Ondar is from Tuva, a lost land in Asia ringed by mountains, where nomads still name their sons Chinggis after Genghis Khan, who recognized Tuvans as an allied tribe distinct from Mongolians. Described by the San Francisco Chronicle as a "virtuoso of vocal magic," Ondar routinely sings two notes at the same time, and plays doshpuluur (Tuvan banjo), khomus (Tuvan jaw harp), and guitar. A People's Throat-singer (Tuva's highest honor), world champion of the sygyt style, and National Artist of Russia, Ondar currently is a member of Tuva's parliament and teaches the next generation of throat-singers in Kyzyl, Tuva's capital. For more on Ondar, visit www.Ondar.com.
Paul Pena is the grandson of immigrants from Cape Verde, a string of desert islands off the west coast of Africa. Paul has also been steeped in the blues traditions of America, having learned from the masters: T-Bone Walker, John Lee Hooker, and B.B. King, among other greats. Pena has also made his mark in the world of rock 'n' roll with his hit song "Jet Airliner." Paul won the world title in the kargyraa division of Tuvan throat-singing in 1995. For more on Pena, visit www.PaulPena.com.
Quick Guide to Throat-singing
When you say "oo" or "ee," you produce an array of overtones (harmonics), each in a different strength. By tightening their throats, Tuvan throat-singers screen out all but a few overtones, making them audible as distinct notes. Some bluesmen constrict their throats in a similar way to allow their voices to be more distinctly heard.
Tuvan throat-singing can be classified into several styles–there is debate as to how many there are. The five main styles are sung in this album.
Sygyt: a two-note style with the mouth shaped to say "er-ee." It is Ondar's specialty (Track 2).
Höömei: a three- (sometimes four-) note style with the mouth shaped to say "oo-uh" (much of Track 6).
Kargyraa: a two- (sometimes three- or four-) note style with the mouth usually shaped to say "uh-ah." Most remarkable is its "Popeye" quality, by which the voice emits "undertones" an octave (sometimes other intervals–Track 11, 1:08) below the fundamental tone. This is Pena's specialty and the source of his name "Earthquake" (Track 7).
Ezenggileer: this "saddle" style evokes riding on horseback and involves a rhythmic pulse–you could think of it as a Tuvan version of ska. Note the end of Ondar's medley (Track 6, 4:52-4:55).
Chylandyk: a combination of sygyt and kargyraa, this style is rarely heard in Tuva. Nevertheless, Paul has mastered it and sings it near the end of "Kargyraa Moan" (Track 7, 3:07-3:15).
The Tracks
1. What You Talkin' About? 1:50
The Genghis Blues story, Bo-Diddley style, in under two minutes.
2. Alash Hem (The Alash River) 2:43
"The sparkling waters at the head of the Alash River, tumbling down, remind me of the shiny beads in my beloved's hair."
3. Gonna Move 4:29
The lead track from New Train, Paul's classic 1973 album recently released on CD, "Gonna Move" features the masterful a cappella vocals of the Persuasions and some burnin' electric guitar by Paul.
4. Kaldak Hamar (The Other Side of the Mountain) 5:11
"If they built a road over the Kaldak Hamar Pass, I could check up on my crazy girl."
5. Tras D'Orizão (Beyond the Horizon) 4:31
"Beyond the horizon, there is a land, sea, and sky–and Jar Brava, my land, and the land of my sweetheart."
6. Ondarnyng Ayany (Ondar's Medley) 5:24
Ondar's tour de force, which caused Boris Yeltsin to surrender Russia to Tuva during the presidential campaign of 1994.
7. Kargyraa Moan 4:18
Another tour de force, which caused the judges of the 1995 Throat-singing Competition in Kyzyl, Tuva, to surrender first prize to Paul.
8. Eshten Charlyyry Berge (It's Hard to Lose a Friend) :59
Unfortunately, in Tuva, friends often die young.
9. Kongurey (Where Has My Country Gone?) 6:28
A herdsman returns to Tuva from Mongolia and finds the country completely changed by the Communists.
10. Dürgen Chugaa (Fast Talk) 1:35
One of many amusements in Tuva is to see how many words of a tongue-twister you can say in one breath.
11. Sünezin Yry (Soul's Song) 6:34
The moon and snow are the only witnesses to a man dying of stab wounds after a drunken argument.
12. Center of Asia 2:53
The euphoria of victory quickly fades from Paul in Kyzyl.
13. You Gotta Move 2:43
The future unfortunately brought grave illness to Paul, but it also brought Amy, Marth, Judith, Seth, Lucy, Tim, Brad, Amy, Karen, and Marina into his life.
14. Tuva Farewell 8:34
Paul's tribute to the master of kargyraa, Vladimir Oidupaa (who is alive, but still in prison).
Bonus tracks
15. Genghis Blues Soundbites 5:29
Some of Roko's favorite lines from the movie.
16. Kaldak Hamar (Live) 2:35
Ondar and Pena in one of their rare concerts.
17. Eki A'ttar (Good Horses) (Live) 3:25
"When my horse shakes its head, the bridle goes shyngyr-shyngyr; when my sweetheart turns her head, the beads in her hair swing chaiyr, chaiyr."
Liner notes: Ralph Leighton
For more on the tracks, including lyrics and translations where possible, visit www.genghisblues.com.
Tracks 1, 7, 12, 14 written by Paul Pena, published by Paul Pena Music/Humble Herbert Music (ASCAP).
Track 3 written by Paul Pena, published by Sailor Music/No Thought Music (ASCAP).
Track 5 traditional, arranged by Paul Pena, published by Paul Pena Music/Humble Herbert Music (ASCAP).
Tracks 2, 6, 8, 10 traditional, arranged by Kongar-ol Ondar, published by TuvaMuch Music (ASCAP).
Tracks 4, 9, 16, 17 traditional, arranged by Kongar-ol Ondar & Paul Pena, published by TuvaMuch Music (ASCAP) and Paul Pena Music/Humble Herbert Music (ASCAP).
Track 11 written by Alexander Chavynchak, published by TuvaMuch Music (ASCAP).
Track 13 written by Gary Davis & Fred McDowell, published by Chandos Music (ASCAP).
Track 15 compiled by Roko Belic, published by TuvaMuch Music (ASCAP). Music published by TuvaMuch Music (ASCAP) and Paul Pena Music/Humble Herbert Music (ASCAP).
Unless otherwise noted, all music was recorded by Lemon DeGeorge at The Crib, San Francisco, CA and mixed by Paul Carlson and Lemon DeGeorge at Apparatus, Topanga, CA.
Track 3 - produced by Ben Sidran, recorded by Adam Taylor at Intermedia Studios, Boston, MA with assistance from Berred. Additional recording by Bruce Botnick at Capitol Records and Wally Heider Studios, San Francisco, CA.
Tracks 8 & 13 recorded and mixed by Roko Belic in San Francisco, CA.
Track 10 recorded by Jeff Lorber at JHL Studios, Los Angeles, CA.
Track 12 recorded by Adrian and Roko Belic in Kyzyl, Tuva.
Track 15 mixed by Roko Belic.
Tracks 16 & 17 recorded by Lemon DeGeorge at the Bowers Museum for Cultural Art, Santa Ana, CA.
Preliminary mastering of tracks 1-14 by Devin Thomas at Southwest Sound, Sierra Madre, CA.
Final mastering of all tracks by Ken Lee at Kenneth Lee Mastering, Oakland, CA.
Package design by Michael Snyder.
All recordings licensed from Genghis Blues Music/Wadi Rum Productions except Track 3 licensed from Hybrid Recordings.
Cover movie poster designed by Ralph Leighton and Roko Belic from photos of Ondar (© Bill Loewy), Pena (© Roko Belic), and Tuva (© Adrian Belic).
All other photos © Adrian Belic.
Technical Assistance: Ian Williamson, Jason Terrel.
Special thanks to long-time friends and supporters of Paul Pena: Clara Hsu, Stephen Kent, Big Bones, Dore Stein, Michael James, Mari Wiig and Jorge Perez Molina.
Produced by Ralph Leighton for Friends of Tuva
Associate Producers: Lemon DeGeorge and Roko Belic
Business Affairs: Jon M. Waxman, Esq.
212-929-2562/JonWaxman@compuserve.com
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