New Haven Register (Sunday) (New Haven, CT)
Alash to bring Tuvan throat singing to town
NEW HAVEN — In a rut? Want to do something TOTALLY different — something you’ve never seen or done before?
Go to Cafe Nine this afternoon and see Alash — an ensemble of genuine Tuvan throat singers.
You may have heard of Tuvan throat singing before — or maybe not. But have you ever seen or heard it done? Alash’s three members are masters of the art of Tuvan throat singing, in which they sing multiple pitches at the same time.
All three hail from the Republic of Tuva in southern Siberia, which is part of the Russian Federation but on the border with Mongolia, with which the Tuvan people share a lot.
But while what they do is a decidedly traditional art, these particular Tuvans are not locked into tradition — well, not entirely, anyway.
They like to mix it up, so they’ve learned to subtly infuse some modern influences into their traditional music.
But don’t worry. What you hear still will sound undeniably Tuvan in its overall sound and spirit, they say in their press material.
Showtime is 4 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance at cafenine.com or $25 at the door. The show is presented by Fernando Pinto Presents. Cafe Nine is at 250 State St.
The three members of Alash — Bady-Dorzhu Ondar on vocals, igil and guitar; Ayan-ool Sam on vocals, doshpuluur, igil and guitar; and Ayan Shirizhik on vocals, kengirge, shyngyrash, shoor, murgu and xomus, all studied at Kyzyl Arts College, among other places.
They’ll be joined by Sean Quirk, their interpreter and manager, who studied music in Tuva on a Fulbright fellowship.
Trained in traditional Tuvan music since they were boys, the three Alash musicians all studied at Kyzyl Arts College just as Tuva was beginning to open up to the West. They formed a traditional ensemble and won multiple awards for traditional throat singing in international xöömei competitions, both as an ensemble and as individuals.
Over the years, as they’ve traveled, they also have gotten to know some artists from other traditions — and even have collaborated on occasion. They appear as guest artists on Béla Fleck & the Flecktones’ 2008 holiday CD, “Jingle All the Way,” which won a Grammy.
Alash also has a longstanding musical partnership with the Sun Ra Arkestra, and has collaborated with musicians across the spectrum, from country to classical to beatboxing.
Alash has released four CDs of its own: “Alash Live at the Enchanted Garden” in 2006, “Alash” in 2007, “Buura” in 2011 and “Achai” in 2015.
Also coming up at Cafe Nine this week: Detroit powerhouse blues-rocker Eliza Neals & The Narcotics with opener Orb Mellon on Wednesday. Showtime is 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance at cafenine.com or $12 at the door.
Also: Austin, Texas, PanAmerican musician Leti Garza, with opener Rick Reyes, will break down some cultural barriers on Thursday. Showtime is 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 in advance at cafenine.com or $15 at the door.