Wu Fei from Beijing is a singer, composer and virtuoso on the ghuzeng, a traditional Chinese string instrument. Singer and banjo player Abigail Washburn made a name for herself as an interpreter of bluegrass and American old-time folk. Her interest in Chinese culture led to her singing songs in Mandarin before. The friendship of the two women - both based in Nashville - has led to this remarkable
… duo album produced by Washburn's husband, banjogenie . Washburn and Wu have linked American and Chinese folk songs on a thematic basis for this project. Universal subjects such as rural life, the changing seasons and - of course - love, are discussed bilingually. The cultural overlap turns out to be greater than expected: in addition to the theme, the melodies, voices and instruments also unexpectedly seem to fit together well. Even to the point that it is sometimes difficult to determine where the American begins and the Chinese ends. (JV)more
