Lin Ma & Zhen Chen – On & Between (Navona Records, 2018)
On & Between is a remarkable encounter between western classical music and Chinese musical traditions. It is elegant and melodic music, combing piano and western chamber music instruments with pipa (an ancient Chinese lute) and Chinese folk music elements, plus one forgettable jazz piece.
The album is a reflection of the emotions experienced by an immigrant in a new country.
On & Between highlights the work of composer and pianist Zhen Chen and the exquisite, masterful performances of pipa player Lin Ma.
The other musicians who appear on the album include Cho-Liang Lin on violin; Elmira Darvarova on violin; David Geber on cello; Liang Wang on oboe; Howard Wall on French horn; Shenghua Hu on violin; Milan Milisavljevic on viola; Braxton Cook on saxophone; and Curtis Nowosad on drums.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
