Tuva, Genghis Blues & Paul Earthquake P(?)

Subject: Tuva, Genghis Blues & Paul Earthquake P(?)
From: katlaughing
Date: 05 Mar 99 - 12:22 AM

Anybody seen the documentary about Paul "Earthquake" P(something)who collaborated with, I think it was, Andar from Tuva (a small country which used to be part of the USSR)? It's called "Genghis Blues".

Heard it mentioned during an interview on NPR of the coproducer of Andar's (pronounced Awn-dahr) latest album, "Back Tuva Future" in which he collaborates with Willy Nelson, and various others. Andar does a fantastic job of ancient Tuvan throat singing, much as the Tibetan monks only in a more secular vein. The interview included several examples, both live and recorded.

He explained that the overtone/harmonizing singing was invented and used by lonely cowboys/herders to entertain themselves while out on the steppes. I have the cd "Deep in the Heart of Tuva" and would like to learn to do some of this, but it is a bit of a challenge.

Anyway, they didn't a lot about the documentary and I didn't catch the last name of Paul Earthquake, but would like to know more.

Thanks,

katlaughing

Subject: RE: Tuva, Genghis Blues & Paul Earthquake P(?)
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 05 Mar 99 - 12:57 AM

I, too, heard Kongar-ool Ondar, and his English-speaking tour-directing friend Ralph Leighton on "Fresh Air" on public radio. (Ralph is the co-producer of "Back Tuva Future.")

Paul "Earthquake" Pena learned the kargiraa, or bass (low-voice) style of of Tuvan "Throat Singing." While mot of this uses overtones, this particular style actually plays with undertones. See http://www.feynman.com/tuva/txt/music/pena.html

If you go to the "Friends of Tuva" webpage at
http://www.feynman.com/tuva/
and follow the links under "music," you'll find descriptions and discographies of throat/overtone singers and throat/overtone singing, and at least several links to "theory and instruction."
Another good site is http://www.tc.umn.edu/nlhome/g057/sklar001/khoomei.html
I've played around with overtones and undertones and can get several of the voice styles myself. I've tried to instruct others (live and in person, rather than through printed media) and the best advice I can give is listen to the stuff, and go someplace where you can experiment making embarrassingly strange noises without feeling self-conscious, and practice, practice, practice!

--Charlie Baum

Subject: RE: Tuva, Genghis Blues & Paul Earthquake P(?)
From: katlaughing
Date: 05 Mar 99 - 01:02 AM

Thanks a bunch! Charlie! I did try it, in the car, while listening and I think I got a couple of tones going at once, at least it sounded like it and, from the woried look on my dog's face, who knows what tones he heard!

I've the house to m'self all day, except for critters and have done healing vowels wounds around them for yrs., so I don't think they'll think this is too much stranger, so I won't die of embarrassment!

Thanks, again. I will check out those sites, tomorrow.

Kat

Subject: RE: Tuva, Genghis Blues & Paul Earthquake P(?)
From: katlaughing
Date: 05 Mar 99 - 01:06 AM

That was supposed to say, "healing vowel sounds. That'll teach me to proofread! kat

Subject: RE: Tuva, Genghis Blues & Paul Earthquake P(?)
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 05 Mar 99 - 01:21 AM

The car is a perfect place to practice overtone singing. Not only are you usually alone (and therefore not subject to the embarrassment of others asking "Why are you making such strange noises?"), but the automobile windshield reflects the sound back at you and makes for ideal practice acoustics.

--Charlie Baum

Subject: RE: Tuva, Genghis Blues & Paul Earthquake P(?)
From: Mike Billo
Date: 05 Mar 99 - 11:23 AM

Paul Pena lived here in San Francisco for many years. About 3 years ago I had the pleasure of hearing a concert with Kogar-ool Ondar and Paul Pena at the Asian Art Museum. Kongar-ool Ondar's performance was incredible! I will never forget the experience of hearing an unamplified human voice shake the walls and floor of an auditorium(and this is earthquake country, so we've felt that sensation before). The unbelievable volume and low frequency is one aspect of Tuvan throat singing that can't be captured on any recording

Subject: RE: Tuva, Genghis Blues & Paul Earthquake P(?)
From: Ronn
Date: 10 Mar 99 - 11:56 PM

Does anyone know if this is the same Paul Pena who played guitar with T-Bone Walker's band in the early 70's?

Subject: RE: Tuva, Genghis Blues & Paul Earthquake P(?)
From: catspaw49
Date: 11 Mar 99 - 01:56 AM

Doesn't have anything to do with overtone singing, but my only previous association with Tuva was through the late and truly great Richard Feynman. A brilliant mind and a wonderful outlook on life and living. Some only think of him as a physicist who helped build the bomb, but that is NOT the essence of the man at all, believe me. For a wonderful read, pick up "Surely You're Joking" or "What Do You Care What Other People Think" and you'll meet a mind so disciplined and deep, it seems chaotic and shallow instead. UNIQUE MAN!!!

catspaw

Subject: RE: Tuva, Genghis Blues & Paul Earthquake P(?)
From: Mike Billo
Date: 11 Mar 99 - 10:50 AM

Ronn; I don't know if Paul Pena played with T-Bone Walker, but I suppose it's possible. Pena is a fine Blues player. This Paul Pena is a blind man in his late '40's. Sound like the same guy?

Subject: RE: Tuva, Genghis Blues & Paul Earthquake P(?)
From: Jerry Friedman
Date: 11 Mar 99 - 05:12 PM

Ralph Leighton, mentioned by Charlie Baum, got interested in Tuva as a friend of Feynman's. When he was terminally ill, Feynman decided to travel to the most obscure place he could find, and picked Tuva (the former-Soviet part of Mongolia). It's easier to get invited to a foreign country if you have a Nobel Prize. Anyway, his young friend Ralph Leighton got involved, and PBS made a documentary, Tuva or Bust, about Feynman's attempt to go there. Unfortunately, Feynman died before he could make the trip.

And that is how a great physicist helped you get exposed to traditional Mongolian music.

Subject: RE: Tuva, Genghis Blues & Paul Earthquake P(?)
From: Ronn
Date: 11 Mar 99 - 07:59 PM

Mike--it sound like it is the same man. I remember reading in one of T-Bone's last interviews that he was blind, in his 20's at the time, and one of T-Bone's favourite guitar players. It's nice to know that he's still around.

Re: Richard Feynman--he is "sampled" on at least one of the tracks on Ondar's BACK TUVA FUTURE. 'Paw is correct about him. "Surely You're Joking" is a wonderful read.

Subject: RE: Tuva, Genghis Blues & Paul Earthquake P(?)
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 11 Mar 99 - 11:35 PM

Another wonderful read on Tuva and Feynman is the book of "Tuva or Bust" by Ralph Leighton. I used to have a front-row seat on the dealings with Soviet bureaucracy back in the days when I was involved with the Yale Russian Chorus, and we would try to visit the Soviet Union every two or three years. The absurdities of that system's functioning (or non-functioning) are captured in the book, along with Feynman's close-to-absurd existentialism, and, of course, the wonders of Tuvan overtone singing.

--Charlie Baum