Ambush On All Sides

Jade Bridge | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 11, 1997)
• Original Release Date: March 11, 1997
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Henry Street
• ASIN: B000003ODR
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #298,010 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #78 in Music > World Music > Far East & Asia > China

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful in its simplicity, December 13, 2000

By 

"gaios33" (Berkeley, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ambush On All Sides (Audio CD)

This album is a showcase for four brilliant musicians, each amazingly virtuosic on their respective instruments, who shine on a selection of Chinese folk and classical pieces. Tang Liangxing launches into the popular "Ambushed from Ten Sides" and you can almost hear the sparks fly as his pipa (lute) explodes in dramatic crescendos. Sisi Chen sparkles on the yangqin (hammered zither), weaving pure poetry in pieces such as "The Plow is Coming." Chen Tao flutters and trills on his dizi (flute) and is especially virtuosic in his opening solo, aptly named "A Bird in Flight," careening and soaring throughout. I'm particularly an avid fan of the er-hu (upright fiddle), and Zhang Bao-Li does not disappoint; he manages to coax such expressiveness and lyrical phrasing from the instrument, the notes strong and poignant. Bravo!

The ensemble pieces are also rewarding--they blend masterfully, each musician commenting on and enhancing the others, soaring from playfulness to deep melancholy in the space of a single musical phrase. They are expertly adept at painting pictures in sound; in "Thunder Ends the Dry Season," you can hear the soft patter of rain (gradually becoming faster as the downpour begins) and feel the farmers' joy upon watching their parched fields saturate with the life-giving droplets.

I played "Ambushed From Ten Sides" for my old roommate a few months ago. This was a fellow who was particularly fond of blasting "techno" music through his excellent speakers, and when I had him listen, he was so impressed that he copied the song onto his computer and spent the next week blasting THAT full volume! Let me tell you, get good speakers and try it out--the results are amazingly compelling, sending chills down your spine and shivers through your flesh...like listening to a story expertly told. Indeed--is Jade Bridge made up of musicians or singers or storytellers or master painters? Give a listen and rejoice at being astounded!

5.0 out of 5 stars jade beauty, May 5, 2010

By 

Lynette Jordan "Lynette" (santa fe) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ambush On All Sides (Audio CD)

Excellent ablbum! I radomly pulled this cd from the public library's collection of cd's to borrow, and absolutely fell in love with it. Now I have to own it. The brilliance of the musicians stands out effortlessly while invoking a wonderful array of emotions throught the album. Wonderful work of classical muscians in a modern age. Loved it! Works great for Tai Chi music, too.