Here’s the story.
Earlier this year, my band Break of Reality traveled to Central Asia on a music diplomacy tour for the U.S. State department. We performed concerts, taught at local schools and collaborated with local musicians. We performed with many wonderful collaborators, but one in-particular left a lasting impression on us: Galymzhan Moldanazar, a singer-songwriter from Kazakhstan.
After a few concerts in Kazakhstan, a collaboration was planned to bring Galymzhan to the U.S.
In May 2015, we flew Galymzhan to New York City to collaborate on a new music video for Akpen Birge, one of Galymzhan’s original songs now arranged for Break of Reality. It was the first time Galymzhan had traveled to the U.S., or outside of Kazakhstan for that matter. Even though Galymzhan was in a new place, he brought his good nature with him. He gave each of us a beautiful, hand-made wallet from Kazakhstan as a token of thanks for bringing him to the states. And on the inside, a Kazakh coin. How sweet is that?!