| | Shao Rong Orchid CD Shao Rong Discography of CDs
Live Recording
Personnel includes: Shao Rong (pipa); Kiyotosuga Amano (guitar); Jian Xio Qing (guzheng); Jia Peng Fong (erhu); Wing Ming Jun (dizi); Yukihiko Mistuka (shakuhachi); Nayoyuki Onda (piano); Hitoshi Watanabe (bass). Producers: Kazumasa Yoshioka, Seiichi Kyoda. Personnel: Shao Rong (lute, pipa); Kiyotsugu Amano (guitar); Jia Peng Fang (erhu); Yukihiko Mitsuka (shakuhachi); Naoyuki Onda (piano). Recording information: Crescente Studio; Flamingo Sound. Photographer: Junichi Takahashi. Arranger: Seiichi Kyoda. Shao Rong's pipa, a Chinese lute, sounds like a cross between a banjo and a mandolin, with the plucked resonance of the former and the ringing, multiple-string tremolo sound of the latter. Though the musician is classically trained, Orchid is an album of original compositions written and arranged by Seiichi Kyoda, who combines traditional Chinese and Japanese instruments with Western ones in a distinctly Western musical sensibility. This pleasant music will sound only slightly exotic to American listeners, and that's all to the good, since without the unusual sounds of the traditional instruments, it would be fairly bland. Shao Rong, meanwhile, sounds more like a featured player on an ensemble effort than the real star of the show. ~ William Ruhlmann ORCHID features beautiful original instrumental compositions played on the pipa--a four-string lute--by one of China's leading musicians, Shao Rong. The pipa is an unusual instrument that uses microtonal scales and a unique warping technique that mimics the expressiveness of the human voice. Its sound has long been a staple of traditional Chinese music. On ORCHID, Rong's silvery tones alternate trance-pop numbers with traditional compositions. Producer Seiichi Kyoda, a respected Japanese musician with the renowned world-fusion group Uttara-Kuru, has written all the music on ORCHID except for the folk piece "Precious Moon," and has produced the material with surprising results. Reminiscent of the influential music from jazz group Hiroshima, Shao Rong's music pushes the boundaries of Asian-Fusion. "Bamboo Dance" is a slinky electro-pop track with a lazy trance beat paired against Rong's evocative and brooding lute. "The Land of Woods and Waters" is a sparse composition that relies on the vocal qualities of bending tones to create an engaging tension. In addition to the pipa, guest musicians play other traditional instruments like the Chinese zither and shakuhachi flute, lending authenticity to this ambitious, gorgeous recording.
Orchid Review
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Purchase Orchid CD To buy, Click on price to add to cart | Raphael Music To Disappear In CD (1991)
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$13.29 & David Arkenstone. Echoes of Egypt is another in Neo Pacifica Recordings' Adventure Cargo series, which has previously included titles like African Skies and Spirits of the Rainforest. For Egypt, Diane Arkenstone and David Arkenstone meditate on the spiritual history of that country and the captivating pull its past still has today. There are five pieces, with four clocking in at ten minutes plus; musically, they mix traditional Egyptian rhythms and instrumentation with the compositional makeup of contemporary new age. It does make for a few evocative moments. Opener "The Secret Chamber" drifts between spooky breath of the Pharaohs moments and more upbeat passages tinged with finger cymbals, flutes, and Egyptian lutes. At first, "River and the Sun"'s echoing atmosphere is similarly effective. However, the ...
| | Shao Rong Orchid II CD (2004)
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Personnel includes: Shao Rong (vocals, pipa); Harukiko Kudo (violin); Masaru Sakamoto (guitar); Chiharu Kuroki, Missa Johnouchi (piano). Personnel: Shao Rong (vocals, pipa); Kazumasa Yoshioka (acoustic guitar, keyboards, percussion); Haruhiko Kudo, Yoshihiko Eida (violin); Liu Feng (erhu); Masashi Abe (cello); Missa Johnouchi (piano, keyboards); Chiharu Kuroki (piano); Shuji Tashiro, Kiyoshi Yoshida, Masaji Watanabe ...
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$16.45 Julie Frost is a powerful live performer. Her moody folk rock has been compared to Jewel, her red blooded scat blue to Fiona Apple. Frost has captured the affection of audiences and critics alike. Her debut album, "The Wave" produced with noted producer and guitar player Danny Shaffer contains song arrangement ranging from sparse and haunting to full on pop rock. Her songs have charted all over the country, Frost is an award winning producer, was a finalist in the Singer/Songwriter category of the Independent Music award, and was one of the few selected to receive an honorable mention in the John Lennon songwriting contest. Chicago's own WXRT named "The Wave" one of the top 5 CD's released in 2001. In 2001, with a decade of experience, Julie founded "Happy Child", a music and movement studio serving Chicago land families. Bringing her melodic expertise and rock and rock sensibility to family music, Julie recorded ...
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$15.19 How This Album Came About:This album had it's birth when I was essentially born again 25 years ago, while I was living and singing in Las Vegas NV. I struggled through years of wondering, frustration, and a near complete lack of religious commitment, but more importantly an absence of a relationship with the Lord. I seemed to be an empty shell when it came to following what I had been taught in my youth. There came a point in my life that I felt I must know for myself, if Jesus Christ was truly the son of God.I set about reading the scriptures, and other good books that spoke of the Saviors life and his atonement. To my shagrin I found I was no closer to having a testimony of Jesus, than when I started.One day as I was studying, I became very discouraged, and tossed aside the material I was reading, convinced that perhaps I might never have for myself, a testimony of the Savior and would always have to rely only on the testimony of others. I know there are many times in life when we have special friends. I had one when she was needed the most. This particular friend was continually encouraging me, bringing me books to read and inviting me to different events that were testimony building. This special friend happened to visit me on the day that I had virtually given up. She suggested that we kneel in prayer, which we did. I remember that prayer so vividly, I said "Our Father In Heaven, I only want to know one thing, is Jesus Christ thy son?I guess since my prayer was so short, my friend picked up where I left off and reverently added, Heavenly Father, we know Jesus Christ is thy son. What happened next is difficult, if not impossible to describe, but this I can tell you, the spirit of God was upon me. Never in my life have I experienced such a feeling of such great love and light, a special and holy witness had been given me that I was literally struck down and I found myself on the floor crying with joy, to know at last, that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, the Savior of the world. My life was changed forever. I wanted to shout my testimony of Jesus to the world, and the only way I knew how was through music. I immediately began writing songs of praise and worship to Him. Again special friends appeared along the way, along with a serious case of colon cancer. This cancer brought a very special friend into my life, Jamie Glaser. He is a musical magician, and he, although of Jewish descent and a practicing Buddhist, was not only willing, but anxious to produce an album of my Christian music. We decided that this album could be the medicine, along with the Lord and the doctors that would destroy my cancer. For quite some time, I questioned why was I granted this miraculous blessing. ...
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