Li Chin Sung & Khoomii Sound Machine - Eclectic Tales from Mongolia
29th, 30th Oct 2006 / New Vision Art Festival 2006 (Hong Kong)
World Première
A dynamic World Music act debuting in Hong Kong
Fusing Mongolian long song and throat singing
with Western jazz and contemporary music
Top musicians from East and West
open new vistas in crossover music
- -Idea/ Soundscapes/Turntables / Electronics :Li Chin Sung
- -Trumpet /Flügelhorn /Cornet à bouquin:Valentin Garvie (Argentina)
- -Keyboards /Piano:Josef Novotny (Austria)
- -Drums /Percussion:Park Je Chun (South Korea)
- -Electric Bass /Composition:Jonas Hellborg (Sweden)
- -Khoomii (Throat Singing) /Morin Khuur(Horse Head Violin) :Naranbadrakh Nergui(Mongolia)
- -Khoomii / Bishguur (Cow Horn Flute):Damdin Gantulga (Mongolia)
- -Morin Khuur :Mikhlai Burgedbaatar(Mongolia)
- -Urtiin Duu (Long Song) Singer:Ganbaatar Khongorzul(Mongolia)
Here, traditional Mongolian long songs (Urtiin Duu) and throat singing (Khoomii), echoing the desert and highlands, are performed alongside Western music creating an explosive new mix. Commissioned by the New Vision Arts Festival, internationally renowned Hong Kong avant-garde musician Li Chin Sung (aka Dickson Dee) joins forces with the Khoomii Sound Machine. Together they shuttle between tradition and technology, desert and city, to discover a soundscape without boundaries.
This A-list lineup of vocalists and instrumentalists includes long song singer Ganbaatar Khongorzul, who has been a longstanding member of Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble, renowned Khoomii singers Naranbadrakh Nergui and Damdin Gantulga, Morin Khuur (Horse Head Violin) player Mikhlai Burgedbaatar, as well as the world's most versatile jazz and contemporary musicians, including Ensemble Modern trumpet player Valentin Garvie, sound designer and live electronics expert Josef Novotny, Korean fusion percussionist Park Je Chun, and Swedish bass virtuoso and composer Jonas Hellborg, who has collaborated with the likes of John McLaughlin, Billy Cobham and Trilok Gurtu.
The singing, chanting and roaring of the Mongolian musicians will be mixed with improvised live music created by turntables and laptop with sampled and pre-produced sounds, loops and patterns. A multilayered collaboration between World Music elites that brings traditional Mongolian tunes and music to a higher plateau.
Commissioned by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Khoomii (Throat Singing)
Khoomii is a traditional style of singing that originates from the Mongolian plateau and imitates the sounds of Nature. By manipulating air passing through the nasal passages and throat, the singer is able to create harmonies by producing high and low tones simultaneously.
Urtiin Duu (Long Song)
Urtiin Duu (Long Song) is one of the two most important singing styles of Mongolia's nomadic communities, the other being Bogino Duu (Short Song). Urtiin Duu is performed at important celebrations and festivals. By using air retained in the abdomen and lungs, the singer produces a series of sharp, rich vocal sounds – in one breath. It was declared one of UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage masterpieces in 2005.