In Review--Chinese Tales & an Erhu
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...