Alash is a trio of throat singers (xöömeizhi) from Tuva, a tiny republic in the heart of Inner Asia. The ancient art of throat singing (xöömei) developed among the nomadic herders of this region. Alash remains rooted in this tradition, but is also open to expanding its musical vocabulary with new ideas from the West.
The ensemble is named after the Alash River, which flows through the northwestern region of Tuva. The Alash River has also inspired a number of Tuvan songs that bear its name.
All members of Alash have been trained in traditional Tuvan music since childhood, first learning from their families and later becoming students of master throat singers. In 1999, as students at the Kyzyl Arts College, they formed a group called Changy-Xaya and soon became the resident traditional ensemble on campus. At the same time, they were learning about Western music, practicing on hybrid Tuvan-European instruments, and being inspired by new sounds coming out of America.
Under the guidance of Kongar-ool Ondar (best known to Western audiences for his role in the movie Genghis Blues), Alash began to forge a new musical identity. They introduced the guitar and sometimes even the Russian bayan (accordion) into their arrangements, along with their traditional Tuvan instruments. They experimented with new harmonies and song structures. The result is a fascinating mixture of old and new.
Alash are inspired by the music of their grandparents, great-grandparents and the great musicians of Tuva and Central Asia. At the same time, they are influenced by Western artists such as Sun Ra and Jimi Hendrix. Yet Alash musicians never sacrifice the integrity of their heritage in an effort to make their music more hip for an American audience. Rather, they look for contemporary ideas that blend well with the sound and feel of traditional Tuvan music.
