Alash Ensemble with Evil City String Band

Friday, March 27 @ 8PM - Lost Dog Lounge

Admission: $15

Tickets at Small World Records, Volume Records, and Ithaca Guitar Works

Crossing Borders LIVE internet radio concert series 'DOES ITS THING' on Friday, March 27th, 2009, by bringing together cultures in a premiere musical experience. Alash Ensemble, known also as the next generation of Tuvan Throat Singers, returns to the Crossing Borders spotlight to blend their cultural expression with another Crossing Borders favorite rooted in American musical tradition - The Evil City String Band. The single show performance will take place at the Lost Dog Lounge at 106 S. Cayuga Street, Ithaca, at 8pm Friday, March 27th. Space is limited for the intimate lounge performance and advance ticket purchase is recommended. Tickets are $15 and available at Small World Records, Volume Records, and Ithaca Guitar Works.

The four members of Alash Ensemble are masters of Tuvan throat singing, a remarkable technique for singing multiple pitches at the same time. What distinguishes this gifted young group from earlier generations of Tuvan throat singers is the subtle infusion of modern influences into their traditional music. There are complex harmonies, western instruments, and contemporary song forms in Alash's music, but its overall sound and spirit is decidedly Tuvan. The musicians were trained in traditional Tuvan music since childhood. In 1999, as students at Kyzyl Arts College, they formed a traditional ensemble. At the same time they learned about western music, practiced on hybrid Tuvan-European instruments, and listened to new trends coming out of America. They are inspired by the music of their grandparents and the great Tuvan and Central Asian musicians, but also influenced by jazz and rock as they look for new ideas that mesh well with the sound and feel of traditional Tuvan music.

Alash collaborates with musicians of all stripes, from the avant-garde jazz Sun Ra Arkestra to the classical Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. They appear as guest artists on a new CD by Grammy winning Béla Fleck & the Flecktones ("Jingle All the Way," released fall of 2008), and they toured with the Flecktones last December. Yet they remain deeply committed to their own ancestral heritage, winning multiple awards for traditional throat singing in international xoomei competitions, both as an ensemble and as individual musicians. Alash's inaugural U.S. tour was sponsored in 2006 by the Open World Leadership program of the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Arts. Since then, they have returned to tour extensively, playing to enthusiastic audiences and presenting workshops to eager students of all ages. The Washington Post described their music as "utterly stunning," quipping that after the performance "audience members picked their jaws up off the floor."

Alash was first introduced to Ithaca by Crossing Borders and Aron Gutman during their inaugural US tour in April 2006, with a repeat appearance in '07; last year they wowed even more Ithacans at Barnes Hall. Meanwhile they have gathered a virtual river of intrigued fans and developed a couple of 'homes away from home', Ithaca being one of these. "Collaboration with our vibrant local music scene is not only the natural progression - it's a natural gift to the world", says Crossing Borders producer Denice Karamardian, who is excited to present them again in a fresh context. "Who better for that experiment than Pat Burke, Richie Stearns, and company? Evil City is the AHA for this year's moment." For more on Alash, see www.alashensemble.com.

The Evil City String Band has jettisoned to local favorite status since transitioning from the previous incarnation as the Chicken String Band; a transformation that occurred on the Crossing Borders stage for last year's St. Patrick's Day celebration. The group joyously delivers traditional and original, danceable songs that are grounded in traditional old-time banjo-fiddle music, but taken to new heights. The quartet features four established artists: Richie Stearns (banjo) is a member of the Horseflies and has toured and recorded with Natalie Merchant and Carrie Rodriguez, among others. Steve Selin (fiddle) is also a member of the Hogwashers and Evil City Trio. Pat Burke (guitar), best known as half of the duo Burke and Bone, and Ben Gould (bass), former and founding member of Old Crow Medicine Show, complete the ensemble. For more info on Evil City String Band, see www.myspace.com/evilcitystringband.