Namgar

Namgar Lkhasaranova grew up in a Buryat family in the tiny village of Kunkur near the border crossing of Russia, Mongolia, and China. She comes from a long family line of shamans. In the heart of Siberia, under a bottomless blue sky, Namgar's songs were born. She mastered the mysteries of the great wide open and the voices of spirits of mountains and forests. She loves the melodies sung by her grandmother and her father and desires to maintain the tradition that is becoming extinct.

Namgar Lkhasaranova grew up in a Buryat family in the tiny village of Kunkur near the border crossing of Russia, Mongolia, and China. She comes from a long family line of shamans. In the heart of Siberia, under a bottomless blue sky, Namgar's songs were born. She mastered the mysteries of the great wide open and the voices of spirits of mountains and forests. She loves the melodies sung by her grandmother and her father and desires to maintain the tradition that is becoming extinct. Namgar sings long songs and yokhor dance tunes -- uliger legends of mighty champions, precise arrows, and swift horses -- just as they were sung ages ago, with arrangements that make her music appealing to world music fans.

The Hori Buryat tribes to which Namgar belongs were supporters of Genghis Khan and important commanders of the Mongol Invasion. Their songs and dances date back to the glorious times of the Mongolian Empire, preserving many genres and songs that became extinct in the other parts of Mongolian world. Buryats live in the Russian Federation, on the border of Mongolia and Manchuria. Buddhism, Shamanism, and the natural beauty of South Siberia contributed to their tradition. They share a lot of musical themes with their relatives, the Mongolians, with a special attention to dance tunes that became extinct in Mongolia.

The group Namgar (named for its leader) made its first appearance on the international stage at Riddu Riddu Festival in Norway in 2002, along with Mari Boine and several other World Music celebrities. In October 2003, Namgar released its first official CD entitled “Hatar” ("round dance") which boasts a first-ever collection of Buryat all-time favorites that are quite distinct and neatly arranged. It was a group of enthusiastic young people from Moscow who started a label called Sketis Music, specializing in world music, who gave the opportunity to the group to record their album, because they were sure this music was fantastic. The album cover was designed by Dashi Namdakov, the most prominent young artist among the Buryats.

In June 2006, the arranger and producer Leonid Vorobyev joined Namgar and added modern electronic, rock and jazz elements to the authentic sound of the group. Namgar's most recent release is entitled "Nomad," consisting of eight songs.

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1/12/10: Namgar

The Moscow group preserves the indigenous musical traditions of Southern Siberia and Mongolia, combining old folk tunes with modern compositions and arrangements.

Namgar

The Moscow group preserves the indigenous musical traditions of Southern Siberia and Mongolia, combining old folk tunes with modern compositions and arrangements.

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Namgar

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