Namgar - "Hatar" {Russia-Mongolia} [2003] (folk)

Buryat vocalist Namgar Lkhasaranova leads the ensemble that takes her name, accompanied on traditional instruments from Buryat and Mongolian tradition. Here is an earthy sound from an expert ensemble of musicians from Russia and Mongolia.
The ensemble says of itself:
Buryats live in Russia, where it borders with 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 Mongolians, with a special attention to dance tunes that became extinct in Mongolia. Namgar is a group of versatile musicians that create the sound both authentic and easily accessible. The group made their first appearance on the international stage at Riddu Riddu Festival in Norway in 2002, along with Mari Boine and a bunch of other World Music celebrities. The repertoire of Namgar consists of the songs and melodies shared by Buryats and Mongolians, embracing the world of sounds as big as from the Lake Baikal in the East of Russia to the Great Wall in China, from the songs of shamanist gatherings of Siberia to celebration songs you might hear at a midsummer fest in Mongolia to exquisite melodies from Inner Mongolia. Looking like characters from the ancient legends of Asia on stage, the group delivers the music that is both exotic and easily accessible.

Four musicians were drawn together by this ancient music little known to the world in January 2001, in Moscow, Russia Namgar Lhasaranova and Jipo from Ulan-Ude, Buryatia (South Siberia), Altay and Urna from Mongolia. Their collaboration sprung from the songs and music of the Hori Buryats, as well as from Mongolian compositions, as Buryats and Mongolians share many common musical traditions.

The heart of this project, Namgar (Namgar Ayushievna Lhasaranova) whose name was used to call the entire group, grew up in a Buryat family in a tiny village of Kunkur near the border crossing of Russia, Mongolia, and China. Hori Buryat tribes to which Namgar belongs, historically were supporters of Chingis 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..read more here