Orchid Ensemble - Life Death Tears Dream

On its third CD, the Vancouver-based Orchid Ensemble continues its exploration of the crossroads where East meets West. Primarily Chinese in sound, the trio features Lan Tung’s bowed two-string erhu and Mei Han’s zither-like zheng but is rounded out by percussionist Jonathan Bernard on wooden marimba. As on its previous recordings, including 2004’s Juno-nominated Road to Kashgar, the world-music ensemble’s latest mixes ancient strains with modern tones and composed works with improvisational pieces. Some of these, like the stirring nocturnal opener Dancing Moon and the hypnotic Three Variations on Plum Blossom, are written or adapted by Tung. In other cases, the ensemble commissioned works such as Mark Armanini’s multi-dimensional Cocoon and Barry Truax’s ambitious electro-acoustic closer Ghostly Moon. Tung, Han and Bernard occasionally stretch their ethnic fusion in surprising directions, as on a Japanese flamenco, two Hebrew hymns and the opera-like title track. But these are never less than fascinating, well-executed diversions. With exceptional musicianship and its flair for experimentation, Orchid Ensemble is bravely bridging musical divides.