Wu Man ... whoa, man!

[Andy Volk]

Okay, that's a pretty horrible pun. Sorrry.
I had the pleasure to hear Wu Man play live for the second time this weekend. She plays the ancient Chinese plucked lute caled the Pipa. Remeber when you first heard Django or Buddy Emmons? When you realized that you were hearing a musician who has more technical command than humanly possible yet communicates their soul directly to the listener? For me, Wu Man is on that short list. Check out her music. Her CD with Martin simpson is transcendently beautiful.

[Carter York]

I love the pipa! Before they changed their policy on the subscription service, I downloaded this album of traditional pipa music from eMusic.com:
http://www.emusic.com/cd/10586/10586750.html


but my favorite is a Vietnamese instrument called the Dan Bau....which is like a Diddly Bow on a log, with a bamboo 'whammy bar'.... single string, some of the most incredible music I've ever heard....here is a link to a Dan Bau player's cd: http://www.emusic.com/cd/10804/10804448.html

You can sample the cuts on these as well....and their policy might allow a certain number of free (trial) downloads.

CY

[Andy Volk]

You're right, the Dan Bau is a unique a beautiful sound. Thanks for the link, Carter! I was lost in the bauty of its sound until the next cut in my itunes library came on automatically: Spade Cooley's "You Better Do it Now". Kinda broke the mood.