The following are details relating to the CDs produced by Yat-Kha and Albert Kuvezin. Much of the material is in Albert Kuvezin’s own words; I have taken it “as found” in direct quotes from Yat-Kha’s website, making no attempt to alter grammar or phraseology. To find out more about the band, Albert and Tuva in general, a visit to their site is well worthwhile.

Albums

1. Yenisei-Punk
2. Dalai Beldiri
3. Aldyn Dashka
4. Bootleg
5. /tuva.rock
6. Re-Covers
7. 2005 Bootleg

YAT-KHA The 1st CD "Yenisei-Punk"

1. KARANGAILYG KARA HOVAA...(Dyngyldai)
2. SOLUN CHAAGAI SOVET CHURTUM. (Beautiful Soviet Country.)
3. KAA-KHEM.
4. KUU-LA KHASHTYN BAARYNDAN
5. KAMGALANYR KUZHU-DAA BAR (We have protection force.)
6. IRIK CHUDUK
7. CHASHPY-- KHEM (Name of a river)
8. KADARCHI (Shepherd boy)
9. CHOK-LA KIZHI YRY
10. EEN KURUG KAGBAN-NA MEN
11. TOORUGTUG TAIGA
12. KARGIRAAM
13. KOZHAMYK
14. DOSHPULURUM

Music and Throat-Singing from the Altai-Sayani Mountains of Tuva

Albert Kuvezin and "YAT- KHA"

1. KARANGAILYG KARA HOVAA...(Dyngyldai) (In the endless black steppe.)
   
   A black-brown runner horse runs like lightning through the endless black steppe.
   The black hair of a beautiful girl is moving in the wind. In the sunset light of the steppe,
   the black-brown running horse can run like lightning.
   The black hair of a beautiful girl, moving in the wind.
2. SOLUN CHAAGAI SOVET CHURTUM. (Beautiful Soviet Country.)
   
   What beautiful taiga and what a beautiful Soviet country
   Because socialism won there, new people appeared.
   The real life only in the strongness of peace and friendship,
   This is only possible in the successful Soviet Union.
3. KAA-KHEM.
   
   In this valley, one side leads out to the Great Yenisei,
   the other to Kaa-Khem How fine a childhood,
   how beautiful a place, golden when the sun shines.
4. KUU-LA KHASHTYN BAARYNDAN
   
   If you dig a well at the foot of a mountain
   Of course you will drink enough
   If you propose to a beautiful girl
   Be sure you take her
5. KAMGALANYR KUZHU-DAA BAR (We have protection force.)
   
   Yenisei river's banks are full of natural richness, our amazing country has protection force.
   Yenisei runs and kicks his banks by his waves, if an enemy invades we have a lot of power to destroy him.
   In taiga there is a lot of gold and other richness, in the north and south we have brother countries.
   In the south and north parts of taiga there are a lot of minerals and furs, -- we have the powerful USSR giving a happy life to us.
6. IRIK CHUDUK
   
   If a rotten log isn't broken
   You can build a fence
   If my mother hadn't died
   I would have eyes and ears
7. CHASHPY-- KHEM (Name of a river)
   
   The place around the river Chashpy amazes people coming there
   Was it you I saw singing and playing chadagan,
   Who ran away feeling shy, when I came there by horse?
   Did you pretend you didn't see me coming ?
8. KADARCHI (Shepherd boy)
   
   I acre for nice my sheep, Mother teaching me is good. Father and Mother will ask me:
   Why are you walking around ? And I'll answer that I am looking for your horse.
   Brother and his wife will ask me: Where do you go so often, to whom?
   I shall say the calf is not in its place, I went to find it.
9. CHOK-LA KIZHI YRY
   
   How difficult to be poor, lonely man.
   If you did some work -- they say that you did nothing and you are lazy.
   It would be good to take a log or a boat to go through Yenisei river to a better place.
10. EEN KURUG KAGBAN-NA MEN
    
    I didn't leave my place forever empty at the mouth of the Eerbek river, the Saiyr river,
    my darling girlfriend stays there.
11. TOORUGTUG TAIGA
    
    How rich is my land -- the cedar taiga is full of nuts and I never shall be angry
    If my nine kinds of cattle will grow up I shall become a rich man.
12. KARGIRAAM
    
    A long meditation in kargiraa kanzat style by Albert KUVEZIN.
13. KOZHAMYK
    
    Sung by the late great Kan-ool MONGUSH .
    This song made many people cry in Tuva
14. DOSHPULURUM
    
    Sung by the late great Kan-ool MONGUSH

YAT-KHA "Dalai Beldiri" The 1999 CD

Why can Tuvan people not be long out of Tuva? Why do strangers who visit this land want to come back again? What does this ancient place have so attracting and so luring? Maybe from here, far from civilization and large noisy cities and main roads, it is possible to sense the breath of nature and history - to stop time and motion, looking on ancient mounds and majestic rocks to track the development of Earth and Human culture. Fathomless skies and endless valleys, sharp mountains and swift rivers, black-eyed beauties and frisky racehorses. Life and fight, love and death, freedom and independence... So is the world-outlooking subconscious of the Tuvan person and our songs on the new disk are about that. I hope it will help you understand the soul of the people, their music and to accomplish a journey through time and space.

Peace and Harmony to everybody.

Albert Kuvezin and "YAT-KHA"

1. KALDAK-KHAMAR

2. KHEMCHIM

3. DYNGYLDAI

4. ÖPEI KHOOMEI

5. KAZHAN TÖREN KARAM BOLUR

6. KEERGINCHIK

7. CHARASH KARAA

8. HÖNDERGEI

9. YDYK BUURA

10. SODOM i GOMORA

1. KALDAK-KHAMAR

music - trad arr. A. Kuvezin

lyrics - Salchak Toka

The name of a mountain pass through Tannu-Ola range at the south part of Tuva. In 1933-1934 the road from Kyzyl (capital) to region on Mongolian border was built; and on this pass for one year people were digging using only simple tools like picks, spades, hand-trolleys and enthusiasm. Now it is road of state importance connecting Siberia, Tuva and Mongolia. The lyrics written by first General Secretary of Communist Party of then-independent state of "Tannu Touva". Salchak Toka, leader of the Government and also one of the great writers of classic Tuvan literature - a Soviet Union State Prizewinner. This song about wish and striving to dig out Kaldak-Khamar pass, to build a smooth road and to rush by an iron devil-car like a kite.

2. KHEMCHIM

music - trad arr. A. Kuvezin

lyrics - trad

It means "my Khemchik" the name of a river in the western part of Tuva running to Ulug-Khem Yenisei and the name of two regions along this river. The lyrics are about beauty and richness of the nature which gives people the possibility to live, joy and hope.

3. DYNGYLDAI

music - A. Laptan

lyrics - A. Laptan

This song was composed during the time of "developed socialism" in Tuva when people had a strong faith in a joyous, happy future and work and these feelings were reflected in their art. Like many songs from that time it is about pride for the industrious Tuvan people. It compares the coming future with a sunrise to which a rider is galloping.

4. ÖPEI KHOOMEI

music - trad arr. Aldyn-ool Sevek

lyrics - Aldyn-ool Sevek

A lullaby sung in khoomei style. Interesting that rhythmical and melodical figures of this lullaby are similar to ritual tunes of shamans and shepherds when they call to their young sheep and cows. Maybe because everything came out of one cradle - Earth & Nature.

5. KAZHAN TÖREN KARAM BOLUR

music - A. Kuvezin

lyrics - trad

When was she born? About a girlfriend who has the eyes bright like an evening star (Venus) and her plaits soft, thick and long like a cedar tree in the taiga.

6. KEERGINCHIK

music - trad arr. A. Kuvezin

lyrics - trad

In the second half of the XIX century in Tuva there was a people's insurrection against Chinese, Mongolian and Tuvan oppressors that got the title: "The Revolt of the 60 Fugitives". After three years of a struggle it was cruelly surpressed and the participants were punished after agonizing tortures. Then the leaders were taken to China and killed. This song is a sadness about those heroes and is dedicated to those events.

7. CHARASH KARAA

music trad arr. A. Kuvezin

lyrics trad

The Beauty, wherever she will be - never forget my beauty, my girlfriend.

8. HÖNDERGEI

music - trad arr. A. Kuvezin

lyrics - trad

The name of a mountain river and village at its mouth. This place is very good for raising cattle. The song describes how wonderful and rich the nature is in this place.

9. YDYK BUURA

music - trad arr. A. Kuvezin

lyrics - trad

"From the top of Buura mountain everything is visible, even to the steppes of Mongolia. It would be good to have a few sheep, and if there's a bloody brother it will turn out badly for the rich feudal lord." A rebel song by a Kaigal (means brave boy - Tuva's version of Robin Hood) on his trusty horse, high on the Holy Mountain, safe from the guards of the feudal oppressors.

10. SODOM i GOMORA

music - trad arr. A. Kuvezin

lyrics - trad

From the Staro Vera (Old Believers) book of spiritual poetry (Stikhi). In the upper reaches of Kaa-Khem (little Yenisei river), in a deep taiga there are a few villages where live some Russian Old Believers who escaped there from the official Orthodox Church pressure in the last century. Here is their poetic version of the same story from the Bible (Old Testament, Genesis, Chapter 19).

Production, Personnel and Acknowledgements

1997 to 1998 in Tuva Republic, Finland, USA, UK

Martijn Fernig engineered

Ken Sluiter edited

Ian Shaw + Dominic Berthes mixed

Dominic Berthes mastered

Albert Kuvezin arranged songs

Eduard Mezhid translated lyrics

Vasiliy Krivdik + Marek Pytel photographed

Marek Pytel filmed and videoed

George Stone facilitated

Anu Laakkonen + Lu Edmonds managed

Lu Edmonds produced

Special Thanks to

Old generations of Tuvans for beautiful songs and melodies

Families and relatives for waiting (again)

Passport-Visa Service of Tuva "Za Progress", family Iridekov, Ostap + Vanja, Krivdik.

Global Music Centre Helsinki - Jaana-Maria Jukkara, Mikko Saarela,
Kari "problem chok-tir" Hakala.

Yat-Kha is

Albert Kuvezin - yat-kha, guitars, bass, shanzi, khomuz and low kargiraa vocal

Aldyn-ool Sevek - morin-huur, igil and sygyt, khoomei, kargiraa vocal

Zhenya Tkachëv - tüngür, percussion, gongs and stikhi vocal

Special Guests

Steve Goulding - drum-kit

Martyn Barker - kat-drum

Martijn Fernig - little bell

Lu Edmonds (aka Akym) - extra bass, cümbüsh, saz

thanks for support live: Piranha Berlin, Positif Istanbul,
Tempodrom Berlin, Sfinks Belgium

Albert Kuvezin and YAT-KHA "Aldyn Dashka"

1. Oy Adym (My Gray Horse) 3.40
2. Tozhu Kyzy (Tozhu Girl) 3.33
3. Chorumal Bodum (I am a Traveler) 3.39
4. Kozhamyk (ditty) 2.37
5. Chedi Tei (Seven Hills) 4.40
6. Tyva Kyztar (Tuvan Girls) 3.46
7. Takh-Pakh Chaskhy Tan (Spring Breeze) 2.47
8. Bai-La Mongun (Rich Silver Mountain) 2.47
9. Oi Moroz (O Frost) 3.40
10. Sambazhyktyn-Yry (Song of Sambazhyk) 4.39
11. Khary Kyigy (The Call) 4.12
12. Aldyn Dashka (The Golden Cup) 4.17.

In ancient times our people had a tradition: when you receive dear guests you have to present a golden cup (Aldyn Dashka) with "araka" — a wine made from fermented milk. Let this our new album be like a similar cup filled by songs of our Motherland which we present to You.

Albert Kuvezin and "YAT-KHA"

1. OY ADYM (my Grey Horse)

- trad. arr. A. Kuvezin

A horse is rushing along the steppe with boldness boy on its back

This is my grey trotter, this is my brother Mergen

The Grey is galloping like an arrow across long fields with a small girl on its back

This is my famous trotter, this is my smart daughter

• …in Central Asia the horse was the best friend and main means of transportation for the nomads. Tuvans usually had to give a name to a horse using it's colour. At the beginning is also a "turgen chuga" (fast talk) which is a game by words and rhythm, impossible to translate even approx. In the past it was popular like a competition during the People’s Holidays. The winner is who can talk as much as possible in one breath.

2. TOZHU KYZY (Tozhu Girl)

- trad. arr. Yat-Kha

The brave daughter of a reindeer herder

will ride by reindeer to Tozhu

The poor cowboy of Khemchik

Will remain on cowback.

• …in Tozhu region in the Northeast of TUVA, where it is lakes and mountain tundra, most people are reindeer herders and people use riding by reindeer like a horse, on the back of it. The "Khemchik" people in the west of TUVA breed cattle, yaks, sheep and horses but they cannot ride the reindeers which can go through the snow much better with their wide feet.

3. CHORUMAL BODUM (I am a Traveler)

- trad. arr. A. Kuvezin

In the middle of a green steppe a green pine tree sways

A poor traveller, I refreshed myself in it's shadow.

In the middle of a white steppe that lonely pine tree is shining

and now when I will come again I would like to ask about it's health

• …from ancient times Tuvans have believed in spirits of nature and have been thinking that everything in nature is alive and spirits live in everywhere. The lonely trees were special places where the spirits liked to live. People respected such places as if they were sacred and brought gifts to the spirits living in those trees. In this song the poor lonely traveler meets in the steppe such lonely pine tree and takes shelter from a storm

4. KOZHAMYK (ditty)

- trad. arr. Yat-Kha

If you cannot give us a treat

then console us by your radiant smile

And combing back your black curls

Sing us a song about some brave funny boys

• …in Tuvan traditional music lyrics are not attached to one melody. In different regions people sing different lyrics on the same melody. Also the singers sometimes compose the words spontaneously like an improvisation. "Kozhamyk" means a "ditty". Usually it is in the rhythm of 8 equal musical times (bars). The lyrics are most with humour.

5. CHEDI TEI (Seven Hills)

- trad. arr. Yat-Kha

From the Chedi Tei all the steppe is visible

As if on the palm of your hand

And hundreds of yurts snow-white in the distance.

You can hear the song of a shepherd boy

Chedi Tei – Seven Hills – like brothers

They stand in line so quiet and calm

as if they listen to the shepherd boy’s song

• …in the Southeastern Tuva there is a place called "Chedi Tei" that means "Seven Hills". It is situated on the border with Mongolia. The landscape around this place is so amazing that this song was born in the soul of people who live there.

6. TYVA KYZTAR (Tuvan Girls)

- music A. Kuvezin,

- lyrics Kombu Bizhek

- arr. A. Kuvezin

How beautiful modern Tuvan girls are, look at them…

They are like silver-birch trees in the glade

Flowing plaits stream like rivers or waving millet in the fields

Ah, to touch and hold their lovely thin fingers.

Black-black eyebrows like a swallow’s wing

Their sparkling eyes like stars in the sky

Shapely legs like arrows straining

And flowing motions like a fish in water…

Their wit and knowledge are acclaimed by everyone,

The girls are smart, forewomen "on both hands".

I praise the land, the life that will be rich.

Pray God give them all the best in the world.

• …about beauty and intellect of Tuvan girls, nothing different than in other cultures and nations.

7. TAKH-PAKH CHASKHY TAN (spring breeze)

- music A. Kuvezin,

- lyrics Tükpeyev

- arr. Yat-Kha

Where have you been, spring breeze?

Where did you come from?

Whose soul did you bring and strike a young heart?

On your colourful road, spring breeze, you brought sunny flowers and merry songs.

• …in Khakassian music "Takh Pakh" means "Verse". Khakassia is the ancient country situated just to the North of Tuva. Khakassians are relatives to Tuvans; they are from the same language family and have the similar history and traditions. Some Tuvan and Khakass tribes are from the same root. My mother is Khakass.

8. BAI-LA MONGUN (Rich Silver Mountain)

- trad. arr. A. Sevek.

O my sacred Bai-Mongun,

Not for nothing you got the name "Rich".

The people living on your steppe are all similar.

You look severe but you are so rich that

People living here for hundreds of years

All extol and sing your praises

• …Mongun Taiga is the highest place in Tuva (3976m) in the Southwest in the highest mountain chain in all Siberia – the Altai – which are silver-topped all year round. Also it is the coldest and windiest and the best pasture for cows, yaks and sheep.

9. OI MOROZ (O Frost)

- trad. arr. Yat-Kha

Frost don’t freeze me, don’t freeze me or my horse.

My white-maned horse, I have a wife, a jealous wife.

I have a wife, a beauty, waits for me at home, waits so sad.

I come home at the break of day, hug my wife by the horse’s trough.

Frost don’t freeze me, don’t freeze me or my horse…

• …old Russian trad song. Probably it comes from the "yamchiki"- the special postal couriers in Old Russia. This word and also this service was adopted from the TATAR-MONGOLS. In Tuvan language "Yamazychi"- means workers of official structure or Ministry. Of course, it is not a drinker's song but it is true that Russians like to drink and then to sing, also this song.

10. SAMBAZHYKTYN–YRY (Song of Sambazhyk)

- trad. arr. Yat-Kha

You are visible even from a distance

Holy red mountain Kyzyl Taiga

A peasant lives at your foot, please protect him from oppression of enemies

My holy Kyzyl Taiga I worship and beg you,

You can see everything all around, please guard

The peace of a poor peasant

• …Sambazhyk was a leader of people insurrection against feudal aristocrats oppression in the last century in TUVA. Here he prays for help from the spirits of the mountain.

11. KHARY KYIGY/ (The Call)

- music A. Kuvezin,

- lyrics Eduard Mizhit

- arr. A. Kuvezin

My native land…

The Kogei and Tannu-Ul, the Kogmen (Western Sayan) and Altai mountains

Rock the land between to sleep in the palms of their hands.

I came back from foreign parts and stood on a high cliff-top,

And talked with you, peering into my soul…

Stormy Khemchik and long Tes-Khem and Ene-Sai (Yenisei) rivers,

With a noble destiny you heard my moods, joined me with your churning voices.

My hidden thoughts in my soul’s nest took off, spread free their wings at last.

• …Tchaurkhan "Subedei" Bagatur is a historical figure, a comrade-in-arms of Genghis-Khan, who came into History as a commander who never lost a battle. He was from one of the Tuvan tribes and on the surface seems to have been in service at Genghis Khan. But there was not a simple relationship between Genghis Khan and Subedei and about that our young Tuvan poet Eduard Mizhit wrote the long poem "SUBEDEI".

12. ALDYN DASHKA (The Golden Cup)

- trad. arr. Yat-Kha

Our bay horse by its tether

Admire – how beautiful it is

Our Golden Cup in the place of honour

It is full.

Be glad! Today is a holiday –

Guests relatives – enjoy!

Our Golden Cup is the symbol of

Happiness and Peace.

• …in Soviet Union there was time of Big Anti-Alcohol Company when there was propaganda of Sober Style of living and a limitation on production and selling of alcohol (a little similar to USA in Depression.) It got to a hypertrophical form, a farce. And maybe this song was not welcome because it was saying about full cup of "araka"- milky vodka, and sings about a feast, old customs and merriment.

Engineered by:
Martijn FERNIG at GMC, Helsinki
Zhenya Tkachov in Tuva and Moscow
Ken SLUITER at Kingsize, Chicago
Ian SHAW at Shaw Sound, London
Dale MORNINGSTAR at The Gas Station, Toronto
Balanced by Ian SHAW at Wolf Studios, Brixton
Mixed and mastered by Dominic BRETHES at Wolf Studios, Brixton
Assistant to Mr. Brethes, Alex BALZAMA

Executive Producer – Paddy MOLONEY
A&R by Ian MENZIES
Produced by Lu EDMONDS
Photographs – Marek PYTEL and V. KRIVDIK
Video Materials – Marek PYTEL
Artwork – Jochen KIRCH @ www.perpperoni.de
Sleeve-notes – Albert KUVEZIN
Lyrical translations – Aldyn-ool SEVEK, Ksenia KANDYKOVA, Budachi KUVEZIN, Eduard MIZHIT
YAT-KHA are managed by Lu Edmonds

Thanks to:
Roger, Diana, Ben and George in London; Artemy Troitsky, Leonid Zakharov, Sergei Dyudyukin and Natasha Timofeieva in Moscow; Don Kerr, Dale Morningstar, Ian Menzies, Nicole Jackson, Guadalupe Jolicoeur, Sam Feldman, Steve Macklam and everyone at SLFA in Canada; Rob Challice, Helen Neale at The Concert Clinic in London; Paul Kahn, Ben Albert and Chhaya Kapadia at Concerted Efforts in Boston; Piranha GmbH in Berlin; Global Music Centre in Helsinki; Paddy Moloney and The Chieftains; BMG Classics Worldwide; Katerina Pavlakis in London; our families and relatives in Tuva; our friends in the World.

Yat-Kha from Tuva:
Albert KUVEZIN – voice, guitar, yat-kha
Aldyn-ool SEVEK – voice, igil, morinhuur
Alexei SAAIA – morinhuur, bass, bvoice
Zhenya TKACHOV – kengyrgy, percussion, voice
Mikhail "Mahmoud" SKRIPALTSCHCHIKOV – bass
Sailyk OMMUN – yat-kha, voice
Radik TIULIUSH – vox, igil
Aias-ool DANZYRYN – voice, shanzi

Guests from London:
Martyn BARKER – snare-drum on "Kyigy"
Steve GOULDING – drum-kit on "Oy Adym"

YAT-KHA "Bootleg"

1. Intro. 4.09
2. Ahoi 4.56
3. Radik's Khoomei 4.51
4. Chorumal Bodum 5.09
5. Takh-Pakh 3.00
6. Dorug Daiym 3.42
7. Amby Baryp 4.20
8. Teve Khaya 3.56
9. Karangailyg Kara Khovaa 4.18
10. Khozamyk (Owaje-Ditty) 2.33
11. Kadarchy 8.50

Bootleg

Live in Europe

Discs:1

Catalogue Number: YAT002

Released in 2002

Tracks 1,2,5,9 recorded live in Abbeville, France at Espace Culture Saint Andre, 10th May 2001.

Track 3 recorded live in Viljandi, Estonia, 27th July 2001.

Tracks 4,7,11 recorded live in Huy, Belgium, 23rd August 2001.

Track 6, 10 recorded live in Sete, france at La Passerelle on the 17th of May 2001.

Track 8 recorded live in Budapest at Szigit festival on the 7th of August 2001.

YAT-KHA "/tuva.rock"

1. Come Along / A.Kuvezin
2. Amby Baryp / trad.arr.A.Kuvezin-K.Mongush
3. Langchyy Boom / trad.arr. YAT-KHA
4. Carry Me Through / A.Kuvezin
5. Dorug Daiym / trad.arr. YAT-KHA
6. Coming Buddha / A.Kuvezin
7. Eki Attar / trad.arr. YAT-KHA
8. The Steppe, The City, The Sea / A.Kuvezin
9. Uzhur-La Bar / A.Kuvezin
10. Khandagaity / trad.arr. YAT-KHA
11. Voyager / A.Kuvezin
12. Teve-Khaia / trad.arr.A.Kuvezin
13. Tuva.Rock / A.Kuvezin
14. Amby Baryp (remix) / trad.arr.A.Kuvezin-K.Mongush.

The songs featured on 'Tuva Rock' include old and new.

Tracks such as
"Come Along", "Dorug Daiym", "Teve-Khaya", "Khandagaity" have already become staples of their live set - with the title track 'Tuva Rock' the unofficial anthem of Tuvan youth.

There are arrangements of traditional songs, including "Eki Attar" - which was played spontaneously and recorded live in the studio - plus several new compositions by Yat-Kha.

The song "Uzhur-La Bar" began life as a melody composed by Albert for a musical fairy tale, with vocals added by the late Tuvan singer Kan-ool Mongush.

Radik Tiuliush wrote new lyrics to the tune just a month before the band went into the studio in France to record 'Tuva Rock' with producer Paul Corkett, whose previous credits include Placebo, Nick Cave, The Cure, Cooper Temple Clause, Snuff and Sixteen Horsepower.

ALBERT KUVEZIN and YAT-KHA "Re-Covers"

1. When The Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin)
2. Man Machine (Kraftwerk)
3. Ramblin Man (Hank Williams)
4. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (Iron Butterfly)
5. Love Will Tear Us Apart (Joy Division)
6. Her Eyes Are A Blue Million Miles (Captain Beefheart)
7. A Song About A Giraffe (Vladimir Vysotskiy)
8. Orgasmatron (Motorhead)
9. Will You Go, Lassie, Go? ( Mc Peake Family )
10. Toccata (Paul Mauriat)
11. Black Magic Woman (Carlos Santana version)
12. Exodus (Bob Marley)
13. Play With Fire (Rolling Stones)
14. The Song of Mergen (Alexei Tchyrgal-ool).

Moscow, August 2004.

Albert Kuvezin has just checked into a hotel having spent 24 hours on a train from Budapest as the result of having been forcibly deported from Hungary along with the rest of his band. Their passports had been stolen from the dressing room of the gig the previous day. Their plea for help from the Russian Embassy resulted in them being frog-marched to the railway station and sent home. Before he can relax he receives a phone call from his co-singer Radik Tiuliush telling him that he has had enough of the rigours of travelling backwards and forwards from Tuva (a 3-day journey just to get to Moscow before an international flight takes them to start a tour). There are only 2 days to find new passports and a new singer before they are due to begin a US tour. This proves impossible and Albert retreats to Kazyl where he is immediately hassled by mobsters and corrupt government officials. He then crashes his car and ends up in hospital.

Whilst convalescing Albert ponders his band’s future and listens to his record collection. Having spent many years being persecuted under the Soviets for listening to and playing rock’n roll he contemplates the long journey that his love of both Tuvan Folk Music and Western Rock has resulted in. He had toured the world many times playing at some of the great festivals such as Glastonbury, Roskilde, Bloomington, Monterey, Transmusicale, and Sziget. He had played hundreds of club shows and listened to and met some great bands along the way. Bands like his thrash heroes Slayer and folk heroes such as the Chieftains and contemporary artists such as Billy Bragg and many more.

And now Yat-Kha was due to travel to London in October 2004 to record a new album that Albert had been busy writing earlier in the year. As he lay there with music from all around the world blaring out from his newly- acquired PA system Albert decided that he would commit his musical and spiritual journey to tape instead of his new songs. His new album would reflect how music took him from one of the world’s more remote regions to international recognition. Remote, yes, yet central enough to pick up the currents of international music, even if the international music scene was not yet hip to the growling waves coming from Tuva. He would revitalise himself by re- engaging with his loves of country, blues, rock and just all things music. Although he was due to self-produce his new album Albert made a last minute phone call to the legendary world music producer Ben Mandelson who immediately made time to take over production duties. Justin Adams, producer of Tinariwen, joins him on a couple of tracks.

The band began by jamming many of Albert’s favourite tunes and from this came the new album Re-Covers.

This is what Albert has to say about the album.

"The influence of rock on my music and life is obvious but anyway I’ll try to explain a bit more why I have chosen these songs for the covers album. Actually they are relatively to what I try to do for long time since I began to mix Tuvan music and my singing with Western rock."

• When The Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin).
• "It is just on of my favourite band of the all time and I wanted to record more of them though who can compare with them even today?".
• Man Machine (Kraftwerk).
• "Remember that time? They were very fresh and unusual between the dominance of rock and punk. Plus very progressive. It is about our relationship with machine world. Almost Folkloric."
• Ramblin’ Man (Hank Williams).
• "I don’t like when there is too much text in songs but this one is just about my self and my brothers - musicians. It is very close to our souls and spirit of freedom. Actually we are all the travellers on this planet."
• In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (Iron Butterfly).
• "Great song because it is simple I respect talented simplicity. Good voice and a guitar riff which always make me interested as a guitarist my self."

• Love Will Tear Us Apart (Joy Division).
• "This band wasn’t well known in Russia but some band made big name and good career during USSR time copying and imitating the likes of JD. I like the mood and guess our manager Jim likes them very much."

• Her Eyes Are A Blue Million Miles (Captain Beefheart).
• "Of course, 20 years ago I didn’t know about this man but when got listen it for the first time I thought that it could be me if I was born in USA at that time. But luckily I live in Siberia and like to say: "Hello!" back to those funny days."

• A Song About A Giraffe (Vladimir Vysotskiy).
• "The cult figure of Soviet Culture. The actor, poet, and singer he died in 1989 but is still very popular in Russia. His songs are full of sarcasm and humour. They are about the defects of human society and full of love and pain when about native land. This song is just one of hundreds he wrote."

• Orgasmatron (Motorhead).
• "I always liked music full of energy. Years ago I liked such kind of lyrics and wrote such my self. Also this is good possibility to remind to politicians who they are."

• WillYou Go, Lassie, Go? ( Mc Peake Family )
• "When I played with the great Chieftains I began to like Irish music and found some similarity with some Siberian people’s music."
• Toccata (Paul Mauriat).
• "When I was little boy this melody by the French composer and conductor was played by his orchestra on Soviet T.V. and radio every Sunday and that gave us a very clear and nice holiday emotion for the whole day. This is a kind of connection to that happy time."
• Black Magic Woman (Carlos Santana version).
• "One more my favourite artist. This song is somehow connected to Siberian black shaman women whom I like very much."
• Exodus (Bob Marley).
• "Again, I love freedom and independence which are also possible through the movement and travels. I love to read about historical peoples movements. Plus I like Bob and reggae."
• Play With Fire (Rolling Stones).
• "I never liked very much RS and even less The Beatles. In this song I got good motion that gave me feeling to play such riff in the style what I like."
• The Song of Mergen (Alexei Tchyrgal-ool).
• "The composer Alexei Baktaevitch Tchyrgal is a great of Tuvan Symphonic music but he also wrote a number of nice songs for different ensembles and bands I am lucky enough to have been working with him and living in his neighbourhood. This song was written for the first movie about Tuva  "People of Blue Rivers"."

Albert Kuvezin Kyzyl , Tuva Feb 2005

ALBERT KUVEZIN and YAT-KHA "2005 Bootleg "

Recorded Live In London and France

1. The Wild Mountain Thyme
2. Come Along
3. Lanchy Boom
4. Exodus
5. Dorug Dayim
6. Love Will tear Us Apart
7. Play With Fire
8. Her Eyes Are A Blue Million Miles
9. Uzur La Bar
10. The Steppe The City The Sea
11. Tuva.Rock