YAT-KHA

Music and Throat-singing from the Altai-Sayani Mountains of Tuva (southern Siberia)

"Both electric AND electrifying, it's unlike anything you've heard…"

Bob Tarte, The Beat magazine, Volume 18, Number 3, 1999

Whether it is the astonishing "khoomei" vocal techniques or the daring blend of modern and ancient instrumentation, you know it when you hear it. There’s no other band like them...

Yat-Kha first emerged in 1991 at the "Voice of Asia Festival" in Alma-Aty, Kazakhstan. Brian Eno was impressed enough to invent a "Special Prize" on the spot for Albert KUVEZIN’s unique ultra-deep "kanzat" throat-singing.

Since then the band has built up a reputation across many different audiences appearing at Folk festivals, improv Jazz sessions, sweaty punk rock clubs, new age gatherings, WOMAD, children’s festivals, classical concert halls and the WOMEX 1999.

After one experimental CD "Antropfoagia" released only in Russia, 2 CDs have been released worldwide – both reaching the top 10 of the World Music Charts Europe and winning awards - from the RFI "Decouvertes", Preis der Deutschen Schallplatten Kritik, Tower Records (top 10 "Weird 99" and more…

The new CD "Aldyn Dashka" came out on November 5th – on YAT-KHA Records cat # yat001. Like the previous, it mines the musical and vocal traditions of the peoples who inhabit the Altai-Sayani mountains, the Tuvan, Khakass and Mongolian nomads, whilst reaching out from one of the most remote parts of the planet to modern life, electricity and other cultures.

Now back to a 5-piece band – founder Albert is now joined Tuvan musicians Zhenya TKACHOV (percussion), Mahmoud SKRIPALTSCHCHIKOV (bass), young khommeijis Radik TIULIUSH and Sailyk OMMUN who sings the much rarer high bluesy female styles in her own way. Ace "Khoomeiji" Aldyn-ool SEVEK and Alexei SAAIA (morinhuur cello) are on paternity leave.