Attic Beats 008 - Recorded September 13, 2005
This week we take a listen to the wonderful world of Tuvan throat singing. Though throat singing can be heard in Tibet, Kazakhstan, and even Canada, Tuvan throat singing is perhaps the most pure and amazing. Essentially, these are singers with the ability to produce multiple tones simultaneously.
There are three main styles of Tuvan throat singing: khoomei (mid-tone), sygyt (very high tone, whistlelike), and kargryaa (thundering, gutteral low tones). The folk masters like Kongar Ol-Ondar and modern artists that fuse Tuvan folk with western rock, like Albert Kuvezin, will astound you with their sound.
Also featured on this episode is blues singer Paul Pena, who taught himself how to throat sing. His kargryaa skills earned him the nickname of “Earthquake.” Genghis Blues is an excellent documentary about Pena and his first trip to Tuva to meet the masters of the music he taught himself.
Enjoy this week’s show. In the meantime, I’m on the lookout for the world’s first human beatbox that can also throat sing.
Click through for the playlist.
- Melody of Throat Singing Styles… Kongar Ol-Ondaar (from Deep in the Heart of Tuva)
- Dyngyldai… Huun Huur-Tu (from Where Young Grass Grows)
- Kargyraa Moan… Paul Pena (from Genghis Blues (DVD))
- Tyva Kyztar (Tuvan Girls)… Yat-Kha (from Aldyn Dashka)
- Alash Hem (The Alash River)… Kongar Ol-Ondaar (acapella) (from Genghis Blues (DVD))
- Kargyram… Yat-Kha (Albert Kuvezin acapella) (from Yenisei Punk)
I’ve seen several vocalists who combine beatboxing and throatsinging and Bobby McFerrin comes to mind. I saw him perform “Drive” (from his album, “Play”) on Saturday Night Live, and I remember that he used throatsinging technique in the song’s finalé to great effect.
Another musician who throatsings and beatboxes is my friend, Joey Chang, also known as Cello Joe. Joey can throatsing, beatbox, and play the cello at the same time.
One of my favorite music venues in Boston, the Milky Way, currently has a “featured artist” who uses throatsinging with his beatboxing. I don’t remember his name.
I don’t beatbox myself, but I do offer free throatsinging lessons. If you’re in Boston, look me up if you’d like to get together.
the last track on this is completely insane. that is a HUMAN BEING?
yet another kick-ass show! This one made my subwoofer rumble a bit though…..
nice work, as always. thanks for the exposure to all of this cool, weird, and out-there shit.
Hahahaha Laze, your weird dude! Always interesting but weird! hahaha I love it and I love this show. Laze gets gangsta on this one and throws a diss to Kanye West………GO Head killa!
[...] Pena was featured on Attic Beats 008. He was the blind blues singer who taught himself how to throat-sing like the Tuvans. His story was well-documented in the movie Genghis Blues. [...]