Tuvan throat singer Bady-Dorzhu Ondar of Alash will be joined by a remarkable lineup of Baltimore musicians to record an album live at WTMD on Oct. 10. Photo by Nicole Renee Photography.
On Thursday Oct. 10, WTMD is thrilled to host a cross-cultural show and live album recording featuring Bady-Dorzhu Ondar and Alash, some of the world’s best Tuvan throat singers, accompanied by special guests Wendel Patrick and Erik Spangler of the Baltimore Boom Bap Society, Jabari Exum, choreographer for Marvel’s “Black Panther,” Baltimore vocal artist Shodekeh, rapper Eze Jackson, Rafaela Dreisin and Stephanie Ray of Classical Revolution Baltimore and more!
All of the performers will be rehearsing at WTMD in the days leading up to the show, which will be recorded for Bady Dorzhu’s upcoming solo album. The result will be a mix of Tuvan throat singing, beatboxing, classical music, rapping and much more.
Alash are masters of Tuvan throat singing, a remarkable technique for singing multiple pitches at the same time. Believing that traditional music must constantly evolve, the musicians subtly infuse their songs with western elements, creating their own unique style that is fresh and new, yet true to their Tuvan musical heritage. Their last album, “Achai,” featuring guest performances by Baltimore’s own Shodekeh, was inducted into the Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.
Wendel Patrick is an award-winning musician and Peabody professor who composes the scores to WYPR’s hit podcast “Out of the Blocks.” He co-founded the Baltimore Boom Bap Society with Erik “DJ Dubble8” Spangler, and the Boom Bap Society has gone on to collaborate with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and a bevy of Baltimore’s best musicians. The Boom Bap Society explores a hybrid of free improvisation and beat-based composition.
Jabari Exum, who served as a choreographer and percussionist for Marvel’s “Black Panther,” began as a production assistant for Chadwick Boseman, and landed a role as a choreographer of the blockbuster superhero film “Black Panther.” He lives in Southeast D.C., where he is a drummer, rapper, songwriter and more.
The multi-talented vocal artist Shodekeh founded EMBODY, a celebration of the human voice, which has been hosted at WTMD, the Windup Space and other locations around Baltimore. He has collaborated with Alash many times in the past several years, and has appeared in multiple documentaries showcasing the power of the human voice.
One of Baltimore’s all-time greatest rappers, Eze Jackson performs as a solo artist and at the front of the experimental jazz/funk ensemble Soul Cannon. His latest solo album, “Fool,” was just released. He spent several years in politics, leading the Marylanders for Marriage Equality initiative to have same-sex marriage legalized in the state.
Rafaela Dreisin and Stephanie Ray founded Classical Revolution Baltimore with the goal of bringing classical music out of the symphony hall and into multi-purpose spaces such as bars, clubs, cafes and more. They are both classically trained musicians who lead a rotating ensemble of brass, wind and percussion instrumentalists, as well as beatboxers, rappers and more.
Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. at WTMD, 1 Olympic Place in Towson. Tickets are $25 for reserved seating and $20 for general admission standing in advance, and an extra $5 each at the door. Sponsored in part by Cunningham’s, Boordy Vineyards and Coney Island Brewing Company.
