Genghis Blues
One of my father's colleagues heard I was going to Mongolia and invited us all over to his place to eat pizza and watch a documentary called Genghis Blues. Genghis because Genghis Khan is the coolest guy to come out of northeast Asia in the past millenia, and Blues because it follows the story of a blind blues guitarist named Paul Pena.
Once Upon a Time, Paul Pena was scanning international shortwave when he happened upon artists performing throatsinging, where you somehow isolate particular notes that your voice generates into intense buzzing sounds. These artists were from Tuva, a North Dakota-sized nation that was ruled by Mongolia before 1922 and by Russia since 1945. Paul Pena translated Tuvan Cyrillic into Braille into English and taught himself how to throatsing in a eerie froggy bass. Paul Pena visited Tuva in 1995 with a ragtag team of musical enthusiasts and cameramen to attend a throatsinging festival. Their guide was a wildly charismatic throatsinger named Kongar-ol Ondar ("imagine a mixture of JFK, Elvis, and Michael Jordan. That's what Kongar-ol is to Tuvan people"). The Tuvans consider themselves separate from the Mongolians, but I imagine I will see many striking similarities when I travel to Asia. The horses, the vast expanse, the hospitality and vodka.
Paul Pena is often depressed and surly, but damn is he a clever, accomplished musician. I was charmed and impressed start to finish. The movie also discussed the Friends of Tuva society, a group that Ralph Leighton and Richard Feynman started on a dare, as near as I can tell. Leighton and Feynman are the very definition of eccentrics. I have vague memories of reading an essay by Feynman about using visuals effectively to communicate complex ideas. I intend to read their work closely, beginning with their collaboration on Tuva or Bust.
All in all this all makes me excited to get on my way, and Peace Corps has decided that I will get to go on June 11, with a short stop in LA to visit Mike and Igor.
Once Upon a Time, Paul Pena was scanning international shortwave when he happened upon artists performing throatsinging, where you somehow isolate particular notes that your voice generates into intense buzzing sounds. These artists were from Tuva, a North Dakota-sized nation that was ruled by Mongolia before 1922 and by Russia since 1945. Paul Pena translated Tuvan Cyrillic into Braille into English and taught himself how to throatsing in a eerie froggy bass. Paul Pena visited Tuva in 1995 with a ragtag team of musical enthusiasts and cameramen to attend a throatsinging festival. Their guide was a wildly charismatic throatsinger named Kongar-ol Ondar ("imagine a mixture of JFK, Elvis, and Michael Jordan. That's what Kongar-ol is to Tuvan people"). The Tuvans consider themselves separate from the Mongolians, but I imagine I will see many striking similarities when I travel to Asia. The horses, the vast expanse, the hospitality and vodka.
Paul Pena is often depressed and surly, but damn is he a clever, accomplished musician. I was charmed and impressed start to finish. The movie also discussed the Friends of Tuva society, a group that Ralph Leighton and Richard Feynman started on a dare, as near as I can tell. Leighton and Feynman are the very definition of eccentrics. I have vague memories of reading an essay by Feynman about using visuals effectively to communicate complex ideas. I intend to read their work closely, beginning with their collaboration on Tuva or Bust.
All in all this all makes me excited to get on my way, and Peace Corps has decided that I will get to go on June 11, with a short stop in LA to visit Mike and Igor.