Search - Mamer :: Eagle

Where Music Converges

Dr. Debra Jan Bibel | Oakland, CA USA | 05/18/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Picture a map of China as a squat U. In the upper left corner where Russia and Kazakhstan meet, adjacent to Mongolia is Xinjiang province, home of the Uyghurs but also Han, Khazahs, Tartars, and Hui peoples. Vast grasslands is the terrain and horses are livestock. It is at the edge of nowhere. Hence, it is remarkable that from this land comes a young musician with Western alternative country sensitivities, the spirit of nature and openness, modern musical production, and the joy of experimental world fusion. Not surprising these days, the ubiquitous American bluegrass, world music, jazz wizard Béla Fleck in one of his Chinese excursions (See: The Sparrow Quartet) was around Beijing to contribute to one of the tracks on this album. With assorted indigenous and adopted instruments (the dombra, nylon acoustic and electric guitars, bazouki, and jews harp, plus the occasional support of other musicians to supply throat singing, percussion, back-up vocals, bass, and Fleck's banjo), we listen to music akin to Mongolian and Tuvan sutra chanting and with rocking rhythms but also with the driving dombra sound and strong melodies of Siberia and Khazakstan. Moreover, some tracks also demonstate Turkic-Persian flavors, such as Flute Song and Where Are You Going?, which has the feel of a maqam improvisation. The bonus track is a electronic mix of an earlier track, Mountain Wind. If you were not familiar with any of these central Asian ethnic sources, you would be hard pressed to place the music. It is so special and different that the album opens with a brief radio sample of traditional Han Chinese music to emphasize the contrast. I find the album a pure delight, a musical wonder, and an exciting discovery; its being distributed by Real World will bring Mamer (Mamerjan) to wide attention. We are witnessing further musical interactions of our shrinking global village. The spirit of the Silk Road thrives."