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 December 31, 2016

ondar the groovin' tuvan
The Legend of Ondar The Groovin’ Tuvan

Hear ye, hear ye, and spread the word!

As the New Year approaches, you can celebrate by downloading The Legend of Ondar the Groovin’ Tuvan free, through New Year’s Day!

Enjoy the narration by Roy “Future Man” Wooten of this modern-day folktale by Ralph Leighton, beautifully illustrated by Bart Choy, with music and vocals by the legendary Ondar himself!

May the spirit of Kongar-ol Ondar light up the world once again!

December 1, 2016

It’s the holiday season, and that means The Legend of Ondar the Groovin’ Tuvan is available on iTunes. Check it out!

If you are one of the lucky ones to have a commemorative hardcover copy of the book, you can hear it read by Roy “Future Man” Wooten here.

June 18, 2014
On the night before his return to Tuva after riding in the Rose Parade in 2013, Kongar-ol Ondar recorded some tracks impromptu for Dirtwire artists Evan Fraser and David Satori, who are big Ondar / Tuva fans.

The result can be heard here.

I know Ondar was always keen to expand the horizons of his artistry and the reach of Tuvan music (witness Genghis Blues and Back TUVA Future), so I’m sure he would have enjoyed this EP.

You can find more of Ondar’s music here, along with recordings of the godfather of the Tuva adventure, Richard Feynman.

What a tragedy that Ondar left us so soon!

Tuvanly yours,

RL

August 11, 2013
In memory of Ondar, Zappa.com posted a short sample of the recording that Ondar made at the home of Frank Zappa in 1993.

August 10, 2013
The  Los Angeles Times published an obituary for Kongar-ol Ondar.

August 9, 2013
This week National Public Radio’s show “Fresh Air” broadcast a 10-minute piece on Kongar-ol Ondar, titled Remembering The People’s Throat Singer Of Tuva.  The show incorporates part of a 1999 interview in which Ondar demonstrated his singing for Fresh Air host Terry Gross. Because he didn’t speak English, Back Tuva Future co-producer Ralph Leighton (co-founder of Friends of Tuva) joined Ondar in the studio to translate.

August 4, 2013
The New York Times published a comprehensive and respectful obituary for Ondar, describing the remarkable life he lived.

July 25, 2013
It is with heavy hearts that we inform you that Kongar-ol Ondar passed away last night in Kyzyl.  Those who knew him are shocked and it is too soon for us to put our thoughts into words, there will be time for that later.  It is in some ways an end of an era.  An obituary has been written by Jonathan Kaminsky of Reuters.

May, 2013
Ondar’s albums Echoes of Tuva and Tuva Talk are available once again!  See kongar-olondar.bandcamp.com for the details.
TuvaTalkFront EchoesFront

March 2010
Ondar has been listed as one of the featured artists in NPR’s 50 Great Voices exploration.

October 2008
Tuvan throat-singing master ONDAR raps in Vladivostok, Russia, at the end of the Trans-Siberian Railroad, 9288 kilometers from Moscow. Ondar is joined by Richard “Tuva or Bust” Feynman on this cut from the 1999 Warner Bros CD “Back TUVA Future”.

November 2006
Ondar appears on the cover of a Lonely Planet guidebook.

trans-siberian-ondar

1990’s

Ondar and Paul Pena appear in a promotional video for their duo, Genghis Blues.  The documentary feature film of the same name was nominated for an Academy Award in 2000.