Genghis Blues [SOUNDTRACK]

Ondar & Pena

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 7, 2000)
• Original Release Date: November 7, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Six Degrees
• ASIN: B0000516VT
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #59,009 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Music Reviews

More than just a record, this is also the story of the journey of Paul Pena, a fine blind American bluesman who learned Tuvan throat singing well enough to win a contest in Tuva. His solo tracks, especially his take on Robert Johnson's "Terraplane Blues," are the real blues deal, but this record truly takes off when Pena and Ondar duet. The blues and the eerie, often-guttural sounds of throat singing make a natural match, one that simply bewitches with the clear overtones and melodies, while the guitar and Tuvan banjo offer simple, but very plaintive, accompaniment. About the only misstep is the inclusion of the Cape Verdean "Tras d'Orizao," which sticks out like a sore thumb from everything else. Get that out of your system, and the rest is pure magic. --Chris Nickson

Product Description

This wild musical journey combines the amazing two-note vocals of Tuvan throat-singing master ONDAR with the gut-bucket, scratchy blues of Paul "Earthquake" PENA, and a Cape Verdian morna ballad thrown in for good measure.

Music from this CD powers the award-winning film Genghis Blues.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Armchair Anthropology, March 1, 2001

By	Sharlene Spingler (New York, New York USA) - See all my reviews

I have seen the movie and bought the sound track. Having marinated my bones and psyche with Tibetans for over 25 years this soundtrack unites two ostensiby disparate cultures, America and Mongolia. As music is the one art form that transcends cultures, it is intersteing to hear the Blues united with their Asian cousins. The phenomenon of throat singing is what you have heard in Tibetan Monks chanting with the ability to produce two tones simultaneously. Paul Pena, a black, blind, blues singer from California, copped their gig and taught himself how to do this. He went to Tuva and won their annual throat singing contest in his category. It is an exposure of the roots. Like Mongolians don't get the Blues. For any armchair anthropoligist, this cd is a must. The movie will make you cry as you see the challenges that Paul faces, distantly empowered by the deceased physicist, Richard Feinman, who went to Tuva on his last journey. Paul's trip is peppered with stickers that they paste up, " Feinman Lives" Feinman was a great thinker from Far Rockaway, N.Y. who collected stamps from Tuva as a child. This record is strange and profound. Irresistable for any thinking person.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The start ofa fascination..., April 21, 2001

A Kid's Review

Last November my famly and I went to a blues concert. Kngar-ol-Ondar, Tuvn throatsinger, was special guess. After listening, enthralled, to the amazing sound, we were told that he had a CD. I turned to my mom instantly and said that I wanted it. Genghis Blues is an amazing experience. It contains some five blues songs, one Cape Verdean song, and a multitude of Tuvan ones, both throatsinging, normal singing, and instrumentals. Witin four months, my brother and I were throatsinging. And this CD started it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Haunting music from great artists, January 20, 2006

By	Karim Moussally "raconteur" (SF Bay Area, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This music is almost certainly unlike anything else you've ever heard. The songs in this album are a rare treasure and document a beautiful art form. I also HIGHLY recommend the documentary DVD.

You will be missed, Paul.