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Sound Mountain (SMP 001) In the summer of 1997
Khöömii (overtone) singer Michael Ormiston and environmental artist and musician Jeff Higley set out on a search for the
semi-mythical “Sound Mountain” (Duut Uul) in the Altai Mountain range of West
Mongolia. The nine diverse pieces reflect the extraordinary nature of their
encounters with the Mongolian Nomads and their vast and endless landscape. 1.Sound Mountain - A mythical mountain, the search
for which was the subject of our trip to Mongolia. It came to represent an “Inward” &“Outward”
journey in which we encountered the Mongolian people & their landscape. Jeff
Higley – Didgeridoo, Simon Higley -
Djembe/Cymbal, Michael Ormiston - Morin Khuur/Throat singing,
Cathy Richards - Bassoon. 2.Reflections in Black Water Lake - Sitting on a
cliff by Black Water Lake in west Mongolia, reflecting. An
improvisation based on one of the traditional melodies about this huge
lake. Jeff Higley - Ocarina, Michael Ormiston -
Esraj, Cathy Richards - Voice. 3.Enkh Mendyn Bayar - An arrangement of a
traditional Mongolian long song (Urtyn Duu) melody, which is usually sung at the end of festivals.
It is about peace and well being and is
dedicated to Nathalie and Amina Anna. Jeff
Higley - Didgerido, Michael Ormiston - Morin Khuur, Alain Presencer
- Voice/Tibetan Thigh Bone trumpet 4.Enkhe - Enkhe was our driver for the first
2,000km of out trip. He hurtled along playing Mongolian songs on a cheap keyboard. Once stopped there were moments
of great stillness. Then he would hurry along again. Featuring Steve Teers’ versions of Mongolian & “Human
Cabbages” melodies plusCathy’s rendition of a well known steam engine. Jeff Higley - Gongs/Ranasringa, Simon
Higley - Djembe/Bean Bell Alain Presencer - Tibetan thigh bone trumpet, Michael Ormiston - Pi saw, Cathy Richards -
Bassoon, Steve Teers - Trombone. 5.Hi Mori/Önchin Tsaagan Botgo/Dörvön Nastai Khaluin
A
Medley of Mongolian tunes, “Wind Horse”, “The white Orphaned First Year
Camel” and “The four year old Chestnut Horse”.Dedicated to Tserendaava,
Michael’s khöömii (Overtone singing) teacher.
Michael Ormiston - khöömii singing/Morin
Khuur/Limbe/Yatag. 6.Snowy Night - A memory of a snowy night in the
Khangai Mountains. Jeff Higley - Aromatic Flute, Michael
Ormiston - Breath. 7.Lament - Memories of old sadness evoked by a
Tibetan singing bowl, Kobyz (A central Asian Shamanic/kam instrument) and voice. Jeff
Higley - Tibetan Singing Bowl, Michael Ormiston - Kobyz, Kate Pyper - Voice. 8.Hearing the Tears - Dedicated to the
Bodhisattva, “Chenrezig” and the memory of the Lams (Monks) who died during the political persecutions in the
1930’s. Jeff Higley, Michael Ormiston, Kate Pyper
- Tibetan Singing Bowls and Voices. 9. 5 Down, 7 Across ? - A cryptic clue to some of
the time signatures in this modal piece exploring improvisation and composition. Simon Higley - Djembe/Brazilian Clay
Pot/Shaker/Gongs/Bell Tree/Ektar, Michael Ormiston - Esraj/Bass, Cathy Richards - Bassoon. Some of the
instruments used on this album are familiar, some not so. A brief
description of the more obscure ones follows: Khöömii – A style of singing where one person sings two or more distinct
pitches at the same time (Mongolian,
Tuvan and others) Morin Khuur -
Two string Mongolian Horse Head Fiddle. Esraj - Bengali
fretted vertical fiddle with sympathetic strings Pi - Saw Reed
flute from Laos (thanks Clive Bell) Limbe -
Mongolian transverse mirliton flute. Yatag -
Mongolian long boxed plucked zither. Recorded spring
& summer 1998 at Chamber 26 studios, Produced and mixed by Simon and
Michael. All titles © 1998 Sound Mountain Music Please email ormi_khoomii@yahoo.com to buy |