Clockwise from right: Producer
Peter Millward, Nepalese Trio "Sur Sudha", Singer Rita
Tsang and 'Erhu' player Hsin Hsiao Hung. Look out for the video
to "Trans-Mongolian Express", shot by celestial on super
8, and edited into a psychedelic mind trip, by Director John Grint.
Some words from celestial:
A "spirit house"
is what everyone in Thailand has in the front garden - it's
a home for the spirits to live in, those who were displaced
from the land when the main house was built. Something always
happens when cultures connect - in the food, the music, whatever
- "spirit house" is music made by people who live
in Asia - some born here, some who came and never left.
Celestial starts with rhythm
- rhythmic music can affect the mind just as powerfully as so
called cerebral music. There are so many different kinds of
traditional music in Asia - and they all work in different ways.
If you listen to an Indonesian Gamelan orchestra or an Indian
raga with a western ear you can't make any sense of it at all
- you have to try to think like the players and experience the
subtleties before you can understand it. The rhythms are very
hypnotic - you have to be open to that . . .
"Trans-Mongolian Express"
is a musical journey from Hong Kong to Beijing, through Mongolia,
to Moscow (see the video).
"Cang Ding" is a favourite and was one of the first
pieces recorded. Played on an Erhu (Chinese violin), it's a
traditional melody and we just fell in love with it.
"When Will My Love Return"
is a Chinese melody well known in Shanghai of the thirties -
it's one of those timeless tunes.
"Nepal", is (somewhat
obviously) from Nepal - it is an arrangement of a traditional
Dawn Raga.
"Vietnam" features
a recording of a singer and spoon player in a tiny village in
Vietnam, made by a good friend.
This album features Hsin Hsiao
Hung on Erhu (Chinese Violin) She is the principal player with
the HK Chinese Orchestra - she tours sometimes doing duets with
her sister - she's open to any style of music and is an exceptional
player.
Sur Sudha are a trio of musicians
from Nepal - they tour Europe and the States for a few months
every year playing concerts of traditional pieces on Sitar,
Flute and Tabla, but they can comfortably slip into any groove
you throw at them.
;)
