- Pochonbo Electronic Ensemble
Infobox Korean name|context=north
hangul=보천보전자악단
hanja=普天堡電子樂團
mr=Poch'ŏnbo-jŏnja-aktan
rr=Bocheonbo-jeonja-akdanThe Pochonbo Electronic Ensemble is an orchestra from the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK - North Korea). It is famous for its performances of revolutionary and folk songs. They have been reported to be one of the country's most popular groups, [Martial music and sea shanties for Andy Kershaw in North Korea, Andy Kershaw, "Songlines: the world music magazine" #22, Jan/Feb 2004, p. 112.] [http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05311/601849.stm Axis of Evil meets Harry Potter, Britney] , Audra Ang, "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette",November 7 ,2005 , on line, accessed 14-III-2007.] [http://www.iias.nl/iiasn/26/theme/26T1.html Popular Music in North Korea] , Keith Howard, "IIAS Newsletter" #26, November 2001, on line, accessed 14-III-2007.] although other critics have questioned what it means for a group to be popular in a country where the only music legally available comes from the few state-sanctioned musicians. [cite web |url=http://www.salon.com/ent/audiofile/?last_story=/ent/audiofile/2007/05/18/mike_powell/ |title=Three Questions for Mike Powell |accessdate=2007-05-19 |last=Powell |first=Mike |authorlink= |date=May 18 ,2007 |publisher="Salon"]The group takes its name from the Battle of Poch'ŏnbo on
July 4 ,1937 , when a guerrilla unit under the leadership ofKim Il-sung attacked compounds of the Japanese occupation force in Poch'ŏnbo.The Pochonbo Electronic Ensemble can be heard on DPRK radio stations. As with other North Korean groups, their recordings are issued by a government body. They have released over 150 CDs as of 2007.
In 1991, the Pochonbo Electronic Ensemble toured
Japan .ong samples
Both via [http://www.salon.com/ent/audiofile/?last_story=/ent/audiofile/2007/05/18/mike_powell/ Salon.com] :
* [http://salonmedia.vo.llnwd.net/o1/mp3s/2007/may/pochonbo-arirang.mp3 Arirang]
* [http://salonmedia.vo.llnwd.net/o1/mp3s/2007/may/pochonbo-rainbow.mp3 Reunification Rainbow]References
External links
* [http://www.big.or.jp/~jrldr/index.html Chosŏn-ŭm'ak 조선음악] - Korean Music (in Korean, with many MP3 files)
* [http://www.kcckp.net/en/art/music/playlist.php?company+1 Music of the Pochonbo Electronic Ensemble] (Naenara)See also
*
Korean music
*List of Korean musicians
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