The Whole Music Experience

World Orchid Ensemble   Life Death Tears Dream Independent Release (Canada)  I first encountered the Orchid Ensemble at the Vancouver Folk Music Festival in 2003.  That same summer a publicist representing several Vancouver-based ensembles and bands, sent me Heartland (the ensemble's 2000 CD), then in 2004, I connected with Lan Tung, the founder of Orchid Ensemble and the erhu (Chinese fiddle) player.  She sent me the CD, Road to Kashgar .  Both recordings, world music with an emphasis on classical Chinese songs and instruments left an impression on me.  Now, almost a decade after the ensemble’s second CD, I received Life Death Tears Dream in the post. While Heartland featured Chinese songs and Road to Kashgar featured Silk Road songs, the latest recording melds western and eastern music thus presenting world music in the broadest sense.  For instance, you might wonder about the Spanish titled song, Ay La Llamo which spotlig...

Archival Reviews (Cranky Crow Whole Music) Orchid Ensemble Heartland (2003) Independent Release Orchid Ensemble Road to Kashgar (2004) Independent Release Orchid Ensemble's 2000 recording, Heartland possesses an appropriate title since this CD oozes heart and soul with its delicate collection of traditional and contemporary Chinese music along with music from other cultures. The ensemble is led by Lan Tung on erhu (a two-string stick fiddle that is played on the lap) and she is joined by zheng virtuoso scholar Mei Han and multi-cultural percussionist Jonathan Bernard (marimba and percussion). The 12 compositions on the CD, also feature dumbek, tar, djembe, tambourine, wood blocks, temple blocks, vibraphone, glockenspiel, Chinese opera gongs & drums, tuned bells, mark tree, and other exotic percussion. However, some listeners will be exposed to the 2,500 year old zheng with its pentatonic scale playing along side a Latin American marimba while the erhu weeps ov...