While traditionally the dombra has been used to perform Kazakh music, the soul of Kazakh culture, in recent years its versatility has been showcased by talented instrumentalists whose work has included a wide range of styles.
As the country eagerly awaits the arrival of Enrique Iglesias, artists and musicians here are getting into the spirit of the occasion, the most recent being the dombra maestro, Ivan Zhukov, whose rendition of the 2014 song Bailando has gone viral on social media.
While it is not certain that this is the very first time that Bailando has been played on the dombra, it is undoubtedly the first time such a tribute to Enrique Iglesias has achieved this kind of recognition, as the combination of one of the most recognisable Latin American tracks with the traditional Kazakh instrument has been seen by thousands.
The video was filmed at dawn at the City of Nomads ethno-complex near Almaty. As the sun rose over the Kazakh steppe, Ivan Zhukov performed the song in a traditional chapan surrounded by the natural beauty of the area.
Ivan is primarily a guitarist, but since learning the dombra (impressively so, if to believe some local masters), he has played many well-known, contemporary hits on the famous two strings, and believes in the instrument’s value to more than just folk music.
“I’ve been recording contemporary compositions on the dombra for a long time. I like to show that this instrument can seamlessly integrate not only into folk music but also into world hits.”
Ivan is a big fan of the Latin American superstar and says that his music has long been a part of his life, including listening with his family while travelling by car from place to place.
“Back then, of course, I never imagined that years later I would be performing one of his most famous songs on the dombra. So for me, this moment has been very warm, kind, and personal.”
Even more than a decade later, Bailando remains one of the most recognisable Spanish-language songs of the 21st century.
On 3 September, the artist will perform at the Astana Arena in Astana, and on 5 September, at the Central Stadium in Almaty, where fans will be able to hear him perform the original versions of many of his songs, those which have become anthems in their own right, to the lesser-known treasures that have also helped make him so successful.
