Continuing their explorations on Silk Road Journeys: When Strangers Meet, Yo-Yo Ma and the Silkroad Ensemble go even deeper into cross-cultural studies on this 2005 soundtrack album. Produced for a 10-part series on Japan's NHK television network, the CD's 15 tracks are arranged in three suites, entitled Enchantment, Origins, and New Beginnings, more reflective of inherent musical affinities than of the way the music was used in the program. The musicians tap into the variously overlapping musical styles of lands stretching from China and India to Iran and Turkey, and the arrangements by Zhao Jiping and Zhao Lin include a mix of instruments from around the world, to add greater color and sonic dimensions. The album's exotic and meditative qualities may attract fans of both international and new age music, though there is perhaps little crossover appeal for Ma's classical devotees. Due to the group's cohesion and spirit of cooperation, solos are fairly evenly distributed, and Ma stands out no more or less than the other players. Indeed, kamancheh virtuoso Kayhan Kalhor and vocalist Alim Qasimov have greater prominence, and it may even be said that tabla master Sandeep Das steals the show. Sony's sound quality is satisfactory, though a little soft in places. by Blair Sanderson
Tracklist:
Enchantment
1 Mohini (Enchantment) 1:47
Arranged By – Ljova
Written-By – Indrajit Dey, Sandeep Das
2 Oasis 3:00
3 Distant Green Valley 7:06
Written-By – Zhao Jiping, Zhao Lin
4 Akhalqalaqi Dance 1:22
Arranged By – Gevorg Dabaghyan
Written-By – Georgian/Armenian Traditional
5 Echoes Of A Lost City 1:18
Written-By – Zhao Jiping
Origins
6 Mountains Are Far Away 6:09
Arranged By – Ljova
Written-By – Kayhan Kalhor
7 Yanzi (Swallow Song) 3:25
Arranged By – Zhao Lin
Written-By – Kazakh/Chinese Traditional
8 Battle Remembered 4:00
Arranged By – Zhao Lin
9 Summer In The High Grassland 4:37
Written-By – Zhao Jiping
New Beginnings
10 Kor Arab 4:08
Written-By – Fikret Amirov
11 Shikasta (Minstrel's Song) 1:48
Lyrics By – Mammad Ordubadi
Written-By – Uzeyir Hajibeyov
12 Night At The Caravanserai 7:56
Arranged By – Shane Shanahan
Written-By – Turkish Traditional
13 Gallop Of A Thousand Horses 5:07
Written-By – Kayhan Kalhor
14 Tarang (Currents) 6:27
Written-By – Sandeep Das
15 Sacred Cloud Music 5:30
Written-By – Zhao Jiping
Credits:
Bass – DaXun Zhang (tracks: 1 to 3, 6, 8, 10 to 14)
Bells [Indian Footbells] – Shane Shanahan (tracks: 2)
Bongos – Mark Suter (tracks: 14)
Caxixi – Joel Fan (tracks: 14), Shane Shanahan (tracks: 9)
Cello – Jason Duckles (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 6, 13), Yo-Yo Ma (tracks: 1, 3, 5 to 15)
Chimes – Mark Suter (tracks: 1)
Conductor – Alan Pierson (tracks: 1, 3, 8)
Djembe – Shane Shanahan (tracks: 4, 8, 9)
Drum [Ocean Drum] – Shane Shanahan (tracks: 3, 14)
Duduk – Gevorg Dabaghyan (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 8)
Finger Cymbals – Joel Fan (tracks: 12), Mark Suter (tracks: 8), Shane Shanahan (tracks: 3)
Goblet Drum [Dumbek] – Joseph Gramley (tracks: 14), Mark Suter (tracks: 8, 12), Shane Shanahan (tracks: 12)
Goblet Drum [Tombak] – Mark Suter (tracks: 9 to 11), Siamak Aghaei (tracks: 13)
Harp – Gulia Mashurova (tracks: 1, 3, 8)
Kanjira – Shane Shanahan (tracks: 2, 10, 11)
Ney – Siamak Jahangiry (tracks: 1, 6, 12)
Pandeiro – Mark Suter (tracks: 2)
Performer [Bawu] – Wu Tong (tracks: 2)
Performer [Daf] – Alim Qasimov (tracks: 10, 11)
Performer [Hadjira] – Shane Shanahan (tracks: 14)
Performer [Kamancheh] – Kayhan Kalhor (tracks: 3, 6, 13), Rauf Islamov (tracks: 10, 11)
Performer [Riq] – Mark Suter (tracks: 12), Shane Shanahan (tracks: 6)
Performer [Santur] – Siamak Aghaei (tracks: 3, 6)
Performer [Xun] – Wu Tong (tracks: 5)
Piano – Joel Fan (tracks: 3, 6), Wu Man (tracks: 8)
Pipa – Wu Man (tracks: 1 to 3, 12, 15)
Rattle – Joel Fan (tracks: 2), Mark Suter (tracks: 1), Shane Shanahan (tracks: 9)
Sarangi – Fakhruddin Dholpuri (tracks: 1)
Shaker – Shane Shanahan (tracks: 12)
Shakuhachi – Kojiro Umezaki (tracks: 1, 12)
Sheng – Wu Tong (tracks: 2, 3, 12)
Tabla – Sandeep Das (tracks: 1, 3, 8, 9, 14)
Tar (lute) – Malik Mansurov (tracks: 10, 11)
Udu – Mark Suter (tracks: 3, 6)
Vibraphone, Singing Bowls [Tibetan Prayer Bowls], Tam-tam, Bells [Knocking Bells], Cymbal [Suspended], Triangle, Crotales, Performer [Flower Pot] – Joseph Gramley (tracks: 1)
Viola – Ljova (tracks: 1 to 3, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14), Max Mandel (tracks: 3, 6, 13, 15), Nicholas Cords (tracks: 6, 12, 13)
Violin – Colin Jacobsen (tracks: 1 to 3, 6, 8, 10 to 15), Jonathan Gandelsman (tracks: 1, 3, 6, 8, 10 to 15)
Vocals – Alim Qasimov (tracks: 1, 10 to 12), Nilanjana Dey (tracks: 1), Wu Tong (tracks: 7)
