media | tour dates | full bio and quotes
Recognized at the "Voices of Asia" festival competition in Alma-Aty (Kazakhstan) in 1990 by one of the international judges (Brian Eno), Yat-Kha hail from one of the most remote parts of the planet -the Tuva Republic - high up in plains and snowy mountains of southern Siberia, a place famous for extraordinary multiple "khoomei" throatsinging vocal techniques, beautiful songs and wild eagles.
Led by ultra-bass singer and guitarist Albert KUVEZIN, the band has worked steadily touring the world and recording CDs such as Antropofagia and Yenisei-Punk, which won the French RFI "Decouvertes Est" prize (and also pushed the boundaries between the traditional and modern). They were signed by Paddy Moloney of The Chieftains to his "Wicklow" label in 1998 and the next CD Dalai Beldiri won the German Critics Prize in 1999. Yat-Kha toured constantly for the next 3 years across both Europe and the USA, releasing the acclaimed follow-up CD Aldyn Dashka on their own label (distributed by Harmonia Mundi USA)
More tours followed - playing major venues across the USA as guests of The Chieftains and again in Europe - playing prestigious music festivals, arts centres, reindeer herder conventions, sweaty punk clubs and open-air arenas from Estonia to Palermo. At the same time, with the help of UK-based film event producer and director Marek Pytel, Yat-Kha developed a radical new live film soundtrack project entitled "Storm Over Asia", which reintroduced the great Soviet director Pudovkin's 1928 silent classic "Potomok Chingis Khana". In addition to the soundtrack work, the film was restored to its original length. Restoration uncovered fascinating new scenes of authentic life in Tuva and Buryatia in the 1920s during and after the bloody civil war. This unique marriage of film and music was performed with great success at London's NFT (National Film Theatre) and a US tour that included performances at the Chicago World Music Festival, The Kennedy Center and Harvard University's Sanders Theater.
Following the tour, the WOMEX 2001 conference delegates nominated Yat-Kha for the Asia/Pacific category of the BBC Radio3 "Awards For World Music" which they went on to win. With radio, TV and webcast coverage from the January 28th performance in London's new Ocean venue, the award was presented - once again - by Brian Eno.
Yat-Kha are without doubt one of the more remarkable musical groups to emerge, not just from Asia but from the whole world. Their ability to merge and develop their traditions within modernity in a way that never finds itself swamped by western clichés is a marvel to behold. Add to that a wicked sense of humor, stunning musicianship and a quiet passion for life and you have a world music group in the most true sense.
Yat-Kha's new album, Re-Covers, has been released in Europe to outstanding reviews across the board. A US release is planned for summer of 2006.
Critical Praise for Re-Covers:
"With his subterranean deep throat growl, Albert Kuvesin's voice makes Howling Wolf sound like a mincing sissy. The version of Bob Marley's 'Exodus' is quite mesmerizing while the scary alien take of Iron Butterfly's 'In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida' should probably only be listened to from behind the sofa. But it's unlikely there will be a more fun album reviewed in Songlines this year. 5 stars."
- Songlines
"The band's fifth international release, 'Re-Covers,' which pays tribute to the days of illegal pop culture that struggled under communism, could be about to push Yat-Kha into the limelight at last. Such a sound could only come from a man possessed by something."
- Mojo
Press Preview for Re-Covers:
"[Yat-Kha] played...with passion, obvious enjoyment and a sense of danger"
- Robin Denslow, The Guardian
"Few can doubt that Yat-Kha ...with their fearless and gleeful iconoclasm [are] not only keeping Tuvan music alive, they're also drawing a road-map for the future. Yat-Kha rock the roots of your hair follicles."
- Andy Morgan, Roots Magazine
"The band's latest album, Aldyn Dashka...is its best yet, a brilliant demonstration of how to bolster, rather than obliterate, a traditional form with rock."
- Peter Margasak, Chicago Reader
"This is a complete band with a very individual, melodic worldview that seduces the listener quietly but completely."
- CMJ
"The voices are extraordinary...Aldyn Dashka improves on its predecessor, Dalai Beldiri, with songs as memorable as the throat singing within."
- Bob Tarte, Amazon.com editorial
"Listening to Yat-Kha's latest disc sent a shiver down my spine - and back up my throat...the quintet from the Russian republic of Tuva are the kings of Tuvan throat-singing."
- The Plain Dealer
"Our final tune starts off innocently enough... just a guitar. It could almost be from anywhere. What happens next surprised me and what happens after that amazed me."
- Bob Boilen, NPR's All Songs Considered.