Back Tuva Future
The ancient, multitone singing technique from Tuva (which lies just north of Mongolia) is relocated to the heartland of America onBack Tuva Future, a CD recorded by Nashville honchos Jim Ed Norman, David Hoffner, and Ralph Leighton. With guest appearances from Willie Nelson, Randy Scruggs, and Bill Miller, these 10 tracks take on the shape of a multicultural hoedown in more ways than one. Curiously, the country ethos and Tuvan tradition have much in common--herding livestock, horses, and (of course) pretty women--so the subject matter is harmonious. The combination of Ondar's guttural, polyphonic throat singing and country music is at first distracting but eventually gets carried along by the enthusiasm of the participants. There are also a couple of hip-hop/rap tracks and occasional New Age reference points, so you can assume that this genre bender is aimed at the adventurous listener rather than the anthropologic purist.--Derek Rath