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Binding: VHS Tape EAN: 9780767030380 Format: Color, NTSC ISBN: 0767030389 Label: New Video Group Manufacturer: New Video Group Number Of Items: 1 Publisher: New Video Group Release Date: December 05, 2000 Running Time: 90 minutes Studio: New Video Group Theatrical Release Date: 1999 Editorial Review: Amazon.com: The ancient art of Tuvan throat singing may not sound like the most scintillating subject for a movie, but for those wishing to immerse themselves in a different culture or meet remarkable people, this inspiring and exhilarating Oscar-nominated documentary will be pure pleasure. This is a story no Hollywood screenwriter could have imagined. Paul Pena is a blind San Francisco blues singer who has played with the likes of John Lee Hooker and Jerry Garcia (he also penned "Jet Airliner," which Steve Miller covered). One night while listening to his shortwave radio, he picked up a Radio Moscow broadcast and heard the mesmerizing, gutteral sound of throat singing, which is peculiar to Tuva's region of upper Mongolian. Enthralled, he became a master of this obscure art form. Enter Friends of Tuva, a curious group that included Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman, who likewise had become fascinated with Tuva. In 1993 they sponsored a San Francisco appearance by Tuvan singers. Pena was in the audience and met with the singers afterward. Pena so impressed the Tuvans that he was encouraged to come to Tuva and participate in its annual festival competition. Genghis Blues chronicles this incredible journey. Pena's performance is as joyous and triumphant as the Buena Vista Social Club's Carnegie Hall concert, but this is more than just a one-note concert film. It also movingly charts Pena's friendship with revered Tuvan singer Kongar-ol Ondar (whose stature is described as "John F. Kennedy, Elvis Presley, and Michael Jordan rolled into one"). Documentarians Roko and Adrian Belic modestly profess they were ill equipped to make this documentary. They may have a point, but would you pass up such an opportunity? --Donald Liebenson Description: Paul Pena heard a sound -- something intensely beautiful but disturbing at the same time -- coming from his short-wave radio. The sound was that of Tuvan throat-singers, a sound that changed his life forever and sent him on a journey across the world to a land unknown. In his search for harmony and the answer to a mystifying obsession, music helped Pena bridge two cultures. This Oscar®-nominated film is the story of a blind blues musician and his triumphant trek to the forgotten land of Tuva and the mysterious are of Khoomei, or throat-singing, a seemingly impossible form of singing that produces multiple vocal tones simultaneously. Paul Pena, who has played with the likes of Bonnie Raitt, T-Bone Walker, John Lee Hooker, Jerry Garcia, Muddy Waters and BB King, travels to Tuva to live among the descendants of Genghis Khan and compete in their triannual Khoomei contest. Average Rating:
 Rating:  - Music from the heart via the throatI loved this story and music! What a wonderful tribute to friendship, exploration, endurance of culture and talent. It is hard to believe that the music I heard was coming from a human and not a mix of instruments. The human voice is amazing. Paul has overcome adversity to become an accomplished muscian, a blues singer, and a highly respected throat singer in the Tuvan tradition! He was very brave to travel so far into the far reaches of Asia when he could not see and had to depend on ... Read More Rating: - A great film starring two transcendent personalities No other way to say it it: I love this film. Its two stars are transcendent personalities. Paul Pena who - by all rights - should be bemoaning the cruel fates of his life, is instead a testament to the human spirit (I know that sounds trite, but it's simply the truth here). When Pena sings for the first time, your jaw will drop. And Kongar-ol Ondar - Tuvan throat singer extraordinaire - is a star whose personality overcomes any language barrier. He's got an amazing presence. Kudos ... Read More Rating: - Fantastic DVDAs all the other reviews have put so well - a great DVD and an inspiring story - especially if you are a musician or someone going through hard times. Rating: - An interesting voyageA blind San Francisco blues singer, on his own, learns the art of Tuvan throat singing. By chance, he is invited to an international competition in Tuva, which is located just north of Mongolia. A pair of aspiring documentary film makers make the trip with him. There's nothing earth shattering in the film. Rather, it is a very human story of a blind man with a unique talent visiting a very old culture. Some of the scenes are jarring in their discordancy. For example, ... Read More Rating: - Genghis BluesMy husband and I have purchased this DVD and we have watched it 3 times. We just loved it. This DVD is a great gift for people who are open minded and who are interested in other cultures and customs. Our friends loved it. What a great story that connects us all so deeply. I highly recommend it. |
