I don't remember how I came across Hanggai, but they're one of the best examples out there of cultural cross-pollination. Hanggai is a Chinese rock group that celebrates Mongolian culture and a sense of the lifestyle of the grasslands. Its members play both traditional and modern instruments, and their tunes are a blend of Mongolian folk music and rock.
The founder of Hanggai is not Mongolian himself, but apparently some of the other group members are Mongolian. It's hard to find any definitive information on the group, as their only web presence seems to be on wikipedia, their Facebook page, and on the website of their agent, Earthbeat.
I wish Hanggai did more international touring, and a New England stop would be very welcome!
Here are two of my favorites:
The Rising Sun
The Vast Grassland
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