Nikolay Oorzhak hails from the Russian Republic of Tuva, land of so many incredible musicians. He gives a demonstration of Khöömei, or throat singing, in a shamanic context.
Music
[Video] Aztec Camera – Oblivious
I had a neighbor, Christina, when I was about 13 or so. Most of her music taste I would consider to be… meh…, but she did introduce me to this particular song. It’s amazing to thing that Aztec Camera have managed to continue on for 30 years, with Roddy Frame producing consistently good music.
[Video] Bani Ensemble – Kavkasiuri Balada
[Video] Camerata Mediolanense – Il Lupo
I was first exposed to Camerata Mediolanense around 1995, thanks to a distribution company sending some promos from New York. This Italian band ended up becoming one of the leading lights of the Martial Industrial movement.
[Video] Vyatcheslav ‘Slava’ Kagan-Paley – Ave Maria (Franz Schubert)
Belarusian countertenor Slava Kagan-Paley sings Franz Schubert’s version of ‘Ave Maria’, in honor of the ultimate Mother, for all mothers on this day.
[Video] Cuncordu e Tenore de Orosei – Voch’e Notte (with Paolo Fresu)
Cuncordu e Tenore de Orosei are a vocal group out of Corsica, a land famous for its gorgeous tradition of polyphonic singing. They’re joined here by trumpeter Paolo Fresu, another son of Sardinia for a new release on Buda Musique which should be out very soon.
[Video] Joe Zawinul – The Soul of a Village
This was a thoroughly unexpected find, though I’m indebted to my dear Rididillo Theitalian, who finds treasures like this on a daily basis.
Joe Zawunil cut this odd piece well before his triumphant work with Miles Davis during his fusion period, and fronting his own band, the ever-amazing Weather Report.
[Video] Калевала (Kalevala) – Лучшую Спою Вам Песню
Though I have an absolute loathing for metal, I really try to cut those who try to mix culture and folklore into their music. Football chants mar the the actual singing taking place in this song, tarnish what might have been quite a good ditty. On the plus side, though I find neo-paganism to be a repugnant fraud, it’s good to see that these kids are maintaining the tradition of metal existing solely to annoy parents until they have to pay their own bills.
If this sort of thing appeals to you (yes, I admit that the singer is pleasant to look at and the bagpipes in some of their songs is a very nice touch), then check out Kalevala’s website here. Better yet, go read the original, which inspired the name.
[Video] Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (cond. Riccardo Chailly) – Jazz Suite No. 1 III. Foxtrot (composed by Dmitri Shostakovitch)
Dmitri Shostakovitch managed, like his contemporary, Igor Stravinsky, to implement jazz into his compositions.
[Video] Magdalith – La Naissance
Except finding that Magdalith was from Toulouse, France, that she was a stunningly beautiful Jewish woman who converted to Roman Catholicism and that she sang in Hebrew as well as her native French (with inflections which remind me of Diamanda Galás), there is scant information available about this artist. Any info would be highly appreciated, and she seems to be due a reissuing of her albums.
A Miscellany Of Tasteful Music 