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CD Review
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Sing Out!, CD Review >>
Tengir-Too
The cultural connections between Asia and Russia are rather startling, given outward differences. If we envision daily life in terms of Bejing street culture, that's one story. But when approaching Central Asia and the lower lip of Siberia, an entirely different story unfolds. Firstly, this is the region where Shamanism proper was formed (the word was pulled from Tungus-speaking Evenk reindeer herders). And while mysticism is known the world over, the region covered on this phenomenal Central Asian project documents how entwined music and spritiuality are to natives. The full 10 CD/DVD series, Music of Central Asia, explores the entire region from Kazakhstan to Iran to India; Volume One focuses on Kyrgyzstan, situated in the highlands near Northwest China. Tengir-Too Artistic Director Nurlanbek Nyshanov leads the troupe with traditional instruments such as the wooden and metal jew's harps, sybyzgy (side-blown flute) and choor (end blown flute). Stylistically, this first volume is a compilation, ranging from fiddle sounds of the kyl kiyack, and string instruments of the komuz to vocalists like Kenjegul Kubatova on the high-pitched "Kyiylyp Turan (I'm sad to Say Goodbye)." Most impressive (and undoubtedly truest to shamanic spirit) is Manas reciter Rysbek Jumabaev. Manas is the region's epic way story of existence, some 30-times the length of the Illiad...and jumabaev knows it by heart. And while the higher-tuned string instruments can sound a bit grating (the production here is not spectacular), the hypnotic flute sections are beautiful. There's an air of worn dignity through every second of this disc, outweighing any technical oversight. Ritual music is meant to be experienced, and on that level, this outfit has succedeed without a hitch.
-DB 06/01/06
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