Wu Man & Wu Wei
Distant Mountains 

Wu Man, pipa
Wu Wei, sheng 

catalog number 21129 

When acclaimed Chinese musicians pipa virtuoso Wu Man and sheng master Wu Wei performed together for the first time at the 2018 Morgenland Festival Osnabrueck, it was a joyous and memorable occasion for the artists. „Distant Mountains“ presents a live recording of this magical first encounter. 

Wu Man and Wu Wei, both exceptional Chinese musicians, had never performed together. Over the years they have kicked the windows and doors of their music wide open, have assimilated diverse influences and have taken their instruments and musical traditions all over the world. Their openness and the simply phenomenal mastery of their playing have brought Chinese music to millions of listeners. Wu Man’s elegant precision of attack meets Wu Wei’s Sheng, which at times has an almost transparent delicacy, and at others can pulse as forcefully as a power house.  

“The different colors of the pipa and the sheng came out beautifully and the improvisation meant we could be creative and contemporary while still traditional. This concert is a treasured memory for me and I am so pleased that this music can be shared, especially at a time when live performances seem so distant and bittersweet.”   Wu Man

“As a sheng player, I strive to find harmony between man and nature through sound, and the duo of pipa and sheng was like creating a Chinese ink painting with music, generating a sound picture of a beautiful mountain setting and letting us experience the special mountain vibes.”   Wu Wei

"The result is indeed magical. It is a fascinating musical-exotic excursion into dazzling worlds of sound, which, however, bring more than just a sonic alienation. We hear here really beautiful, exciting and meaningful music, wonderfully played, sometimes enchantingly rhythmic, but again and again directly ethereal."  Remy Franck in pizzicato

It´s such a thrill to hear live applause again! And what a spectacular production from the Dreyer-Gaido label! You can really feel you are in the heart of the sound. It is almost as if you have also taken center stage together with the virtuosos Wu Man and Wu Wei. The energy that flows between these two musical wizards is palpable on the recording. Like two tigers they follow and challenge one another with each pluck, with each breath. And what we, the listeners, get is an unforgettable feast. Every time I listen to this album feels like the first!
Maja Vasiljevic
“RUMBO A ESTE” - RADIO CLÁSICA, Spanish Public Radio

****

"Stunning meeting of two Chinese music trailblazers"

Charlie Cawood in Songlines Magazine