Overtone singing is the ability to produce multiple tones at one time. One style of overtone singing is Tuvan throat singing. In this form, the tongue is placed in such a way that the mouth becomes a resonating chamber that can produce one or more pitches above the fundamental note.
There are several other forms of throat singing that originate among the Inuit and other Siberian cultures, as well as in China, Japan, and Africa. The Tuvan form is the most famous, however. Tuva is an autonomous republic within the Russian Federation located in southern Siberia. Traditionally, the people practice Tibetan Buddhism mixed with local animistic practices.
Sometimes a traditionalist will travel many miles to perform a particular song in a particular spot in nature. That is because in animistic cultures, there is a belief that all objects in the natural world have a spirit of their own. By performing a song in a certain place, the artist not only reveres the nature spirits in that area, but also hopes to tap into and share their power.
Though this art form is most popular among men, there are also female performers like Tyva Kyzy, a duo, and Sainkho Namtchylak, who mixes the traditional form with experimental jazz. Both have played a major role in bringing Tuvan throat singing onto the international stage.
Called khoomei in the native language, this musical style is making inroads into popular culture. Huun-Huur-Tu’s recording of a kargyrra, a particular style of playing, made it into HBO’s True Blood series. Huun-Huur-Tu has also recorded with Ry Cooder and the Kronos Quartet. The documentary Genghis Blues tells the story of Paul Pena, a blind blues musician, who went to Central Asia to study with Kongar-ol Ondar, who at one point performed on David Letterman’s Late Show.
Famous Tuvan throat-singing groups include Huun-Huur-Tu, Kongar-ol Ondar, Tyva Kyzy, Sainkho Namtchylak, Alash Ensemble, Chirgilchin, and Yat-Kha. All have recordings, and many of these groups travel often to perform concerts for Western audiences.
Looking to find the best deal on Tuvan throat singing, then visit www.tuvanthroatsinging.com to find CDs and downloads for your world music collection.
