Bulgarian Choir Stays Faithful to Dark Sound

One of the most fascinating aspects of the many forms of music from around the globe is the capacity of unfamiliar sounds to transcend cultural orientation.

The passion of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, for example, reached past the style and the language of qawwali music. The ragas of Ali Akbar Khan and Ravi Shankar are enjoyed by listeners who have no knowledge of the rich legacy of Indian classical music. Buddhist chants and Tuvan throat singing can elicit trance-like responses from the most sophisticated urban listeners, and the rhythms of Afro-pop have become a staple of American and European dance clubs.

On Saturday, another unusually communicative ensemble, the Bulgarian Women’s Choir--Angelite brings a collection of vocal sounds often described as mysterious to El Camino College’s Marsee Auditorium.

Bulgarian choirs have been impacting the world music scene since the late ‘80s. And despite the fact that the variously named choirs--Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares, Angelite, etc.--have used shifting gatherings of singers, the dark, emotional currents of the music have remained the same: a combination of Gesualdo-like dissonances and Eastern European timbres and rhythms.

The Bulgarian Women’s Choir--Angelite is celebrating the release of a new CD, “Voices of Life” (Globe Music). The album is a collection of previously recorded performances digitally remixed and remastered by Eddie Jobson, who has played with Frank Zappa and Roxy Music. In addition to showcasing the voices in superb acoustic fashion (listen to the remarkable dissonances of “Mechmetio” for an extraordinary example), Jobson has added three intriguing originals in which the choir is supplemented by his own violin, the percussion of Bill Bruford and the Chapman Stick of Tony Levin.

Unlike many collaborations with Western musicians and producers, “Voices of Life” is impressive for its retention of the cultural character of the original artists. “Prayers for the Protector” (Celestial Harmonies), a far different collaboration, is successful for precisely the same reasons. The nucleus of the CD is the chanting of Buddhist monk Thupten Nyandek Pema Lama, and the setting is the subtle, supportive electronic textures of composer Steve Roach. The deceptive simplicity of the chant can be difficult for Western minds accustomed to a world of quick sound and video bites. But Roach’s sweeping sounds bring a compelling continuity that underscores the meditative qualities of the prayers and invocations.

The Master Musicians of Joujouka inhabit an even more trance-centered musical environment, one that has drawn the attention of such Western artists as Ornette Coleman and Bill Laswell, the Rolling Stones’ Brian Jones and writer William Burroughs. The ensemble’s music is dominated by the sound of double-headed drums and the wailing, nasal timbres of many ghaitas, a double-reed, oboe-like instrument. The Master Musicians have been recorded frequently--first in Jones’ odd “Pipes of Pan,” later, and more authentically, by Laswell. “The Master Musicians of Joujouka” (Point/Universal), featuring the group’s present chief, Bachir Attar, mixes intense, traditional sounds with tracks enhanced by Western instruments, and clearly aims at the pop market.

In this case, the blending doesn’t work at all, but other tracks, which feature the Master Musicians (and, on one track, the Women of the Musicians) in their traditional style, are stunning. It takes an effort to embrace the music’s relentless repetitions, but once the listener gets into sync with them, the results can be mind-bending.

Globe Trotting: Senegal’s pop favorite Youssou N’Dour performs at the United Nations on Oct. 23 at a ceremony supporting the U.N. development program “Race Against Poverty.” He also hosts a press conference to announce his participation in “The Joko Project” (also the title of his new Nonesuch album), which will build an online community and culture content Web site, as well as Internet access centers to connect the Senegalese people. N’Dour performs at the House of Blues on Nov. 15. . . . Rhythm magazine is reaching out to a broader constituency with a new monthly column called Rhythm 4 Kids, debuting in the January-February issue. The column will mix education with entertainment by concentrating on a specific country each month via lesson plans, songs and activities.

Early Sounds of the Season: Putumayo already is anticipating the holidays with “A Jewish Odyssey: A Celebration of Jewish Music Around the World.” Released Sept. 26 before Rosh Hashana, the recording also encompasses Yom Kippur and Hanukkah. The CD is a far-reaching overview of the wide expanse of Jewish cultural expression, with performances reflecting elements of Eastern European, North African, Spanish, Middle Eastern and American jazz and popular music. Among the featured performers: Israel’s Chava Alberstein, the U.S.’s Klezmatics, the U.K.’s Burning Bush, Brazil’s Fortuna and Italy’s KlezRoym. . . . Putumayo is also releasing “A Putumayo World Christmas,” a selection of seasonal songs from around the world. A few classics are represented in unusual settings: a Cajun version of “We Three Kings” by Michael Doucet; Steve Schuch & the Night Heron Consort’s Celtic variation on “Here We Come-A-Wassailing,” and Barbados’ Banks Soundtech Steel Orchestra performing “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.” But there are other appealing numbers as well--especially Ivan Lins’ joyous “Noite Para Festejar,” performed over an infectious lundu rhythm.

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Don Heckman can be reached at djh@earthlink.net.