Nomad

Tuvan vocalist in a variety of contexts -- mostly jazz or world/experimental, or Asian pop. It's a compilation of prior recordings (some from her "Letters" disk that's in our library.)

Great listening not just for Namchylak's vocal power but for the range of styles represented, although most tracks stick to their home turf. Track 12 is a nice genre-shifter; for some vocals to admire, try 4,7,11

The jazz and pop tracks get awfully saccharine; Namchylak shows off some nice vocal ideas but in the context of soft-jazz piano combos or oversweet pop.

Some of the other musicians on this album: Peter Kowald (5,10); Vladimir Tarason and Vladimir Volkov (13), the Moscow Composers Orchestra (11); Stefano Boliani and Maurizio Belli (8).

1- 20 seconds flutter: piercing.
2- Sweetly upbeat pop, like an Asian TV theme, even has birds and a babbling brook. Too much, but humorously SEGUES into:
3- Gutteral solo vocal, spat out. Includes a long abrasive tone
4- Solo: High squeak like whistling. Then Exorcist-like growls
5- With bass, a growly Tuvan sound
6- A lot like #2.
7- BIG deep throat-singing growl, yes!
8- Polite jazz, mid/fast with cascading piano that gets adventurous later
9- The patter of lots of drums. Dynamic, warms the blood.
10- w/bass: Slow melody, a sly jazz feel with traditional singing.
11- "Sunrise" feel with some grand vocal cries and airy jazz wisps.
12- Shifts from nasal Tuvan singing into straight jazz piano. Builds nice drama towards the end.
13- Long Tuvan vocal tones and dramatic drums. Explodes into full drumkit/bass free jazz after 2 minutes. Big and fiery.
14- A faster, cheesier reprise of 2, with Namchylak doing little-kid sounds