NGUYÊN LÊ — Tales from Viêt-nam (1996) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Blending Western fusion jazz with Eastern structures and dissonance, Nguyen Le constructs a compelling pastiche. Perhaps most interesting is Huong Thanh's vocal in Vietnamese. Tim Sheridan

"A captivating symbiosis of ethno-sounds and refreshing jazz dynamics" - (MAX) ACT
Tracklist :
1    The Wind Blew It Away (Qua Câu Gio Bay) 7:30
– Traditional
Arranged By – Nguyên Lê
Arranged By [Assistant] – Dominique Borker
2    The Black Horse (Ly Ngua O) 4:10
– Traditional
Arranged By – Nguyên Lê
3    Don't You Go Away My Friend (Nguoi Oi Nguoi O Dung Vê) 7:26
– Traditional
Arranged By – Nguyên Lê
Arranged By [Assistant] – Dominique Borker
4    Trông Com (The Rice Drum) 4:04
– Traditional
Arranged By – Nguyên Lê
Arranged By [Assistant] – Dominique Borker
5    Hen Ho (Promise Of A Date) 5:24
– Traditional
Arranged By – Nguyên Lê
6    The Banyan Tree Song (1. Ly Cai Da/2. The Pillow (Cai Gôi)/3. The Hill (Trèo Lên Quan Dôc) 8:19
– Traditional
Arranged By – Nguyên Lê
7    Spring Of Life (Hoai Xuân) 3:21
Arranged By – Nguyên Lê
Written-By – Tô Man Châu
8    Ting Ning 3:42
– Traditional
Arranged By – Nguyên Lê
9    Mangustao Pt. 1 4:36
Written-By, Arranged By – Nguyên Lê
Written-By, Arranged By [Assistant] – Dominique Borker
10    Mangustao Pt. 2 5:54
Written-By, Arranged By – Nguyên Lê
Written-By, Arranged By [Assistant] – Dominique Borker
Credits :
Acoustic Bass [Accoustic] – Michel Benita
Drums – Joël Allouche (tracks: 1, 2, 6, 9)
Drums, Percussion – Steve Argüelles (tracks: 2, 3, 4, 10), Trilok Gurtu (tracks: 5, 8)
Lute [Moon Lute] – Thai An (tracks: 3)
Percussion, Marimba, Piano, Keyboards – François Verly
Performer [Sapek Clappers, Dan Bau], Zither [Dan Tranh], Flute [Sao Flute] – Hao Nhien
Producer, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Tracking By [Overdubs], Programmed By – Nguyên Lê
Saxophone, Flute [African], Alto Flute, Bass Flute, Concertina – Simon S. Hansen
Tracking By [Overdubs] – Pierre Bengon-Lours, Stéphane Luginbuhl, Valérie Abrial
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Paolo Fresu
Vocals – Huong Thanh

HUONG THANH — Mangustao (2004) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Vietnamese vocalist Huong Thanh rose to fame in the new millennium as her nation's premier jazz talent. Thanh was brought up in a musical household steeped in the cai luong tradition. Mentored by her father, famed vocalist Huu Phuoc, Thanh was trained in the complex musical style blending the demands of a complex tonal language with operatic expression and storytelling. She studied formally in Saigon, beginning at age 13. By 16 Thanh had taken the stage in her first of many cai luong productions. Touring throughout Europe matured Thanh as a musician, and offered opportunities to be exposed to different musical styles. Thanh often returned to Vietnam, recording with some of the nation's most renowned talents. On one such trip she was introduced to guitarist Nguyên Lê, who introduced her to the world of jazz. Thanh joined Lê's Tales from Vietnam project, which toured Europe extensively and released highly acclaimed material exploring traditional Vietnamese music with jazz sensibilities. In 1999 Thanh applied the valuable experience she gained with Tales from Vietnam to her solo career. Moon and Wind, her debut disc, was released by the ACT label that year, to rave reviews. With each release that followed, Thanh earned a larger audience for her special brand of jazz. Following Dragonfly (2001) and Mangustao (2004), Huong Thanh's fourth disc, Fragile Beauty, was released in 2007. The album peaked at number two on World Music Charts Europe, generating Thanh's strongest sales yet. Evan C. Gutierrez
Tracklist :
1    Perfumed Flower (Hoa Thơm Bướm Lượn)    6:35
2    The Mountain And The Source (Thoả Nỗi Nhớ Mong / Sông Cầu Nước Chảy Lê Thê)    5:21
3    In The Pagoda (Vào Chùa)    6:44
4    The Blue Dome Of The Sky    6:37
5    Heave Ho ! (Hò Nện)    3:47
6    The Courting (Lý Đò Đưa)    5:13
7    Cold Winter, Faraway Land    5:54
8    South Delta Song    4:57
9    Moon Boat (Ngồi Tựa Mạn Thuyền)    5:45
10    Like A Guitar With No Strings (Hát Ru Nam Bộ)    3:36
Credits :
Acoustic Bass [Pizzicato], Arco Bass – Michel Benita
Choir – The Barbès Faith Choir
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Synthesizer, Sampler, Computer, Producer, Arranged By, Engineer, Mixed By – Nguyên Lê
Fretless Bass [Electric] – Michel Alibo
Goblet Drum [Zarb], Cajón, Daf, Udu, Tambourine [Rek], Ghatam [Gatam] – Bijan Chemirani
Oboe, English Horn – Paul McCandless
Oud – Dhafer Youssef
Percussion [West Indies Percussion Like Ti Bwa, Tambu Ka, Chacha] – Bago
Piano, Electric Piano – Dominique Borker
Singing Bowls [Tibetan Bowls], Bells [Tuned Bell], Gong [Gongs], Chimes – François Verly
Strings – The Barbès Deluxe
Trumpet – Paolo Fresu
Vibraphone, Marimba – Illya Amar
Vocals – Huong Thanh
Vocals, Guimbri, Tabla, Cymbal [Hand Cymbals] – Karim Ziad
Zither [Đàn Bầu], Flute [Sao (transverse), Tiêu (straight Bamboo Flutes)], Lute [Dan Tam (3-strings Fretless), Dan Nguyêt (moon Shaped)], Zither [16-strings Dan Tranh] – Hao Nhiên
Zither [Đàn Bầu], Zither [16-strings Dan Tranh], Lute [Dan Kim] – Duong Tam