Wu Man & Friends
The lute-like pipa has a taunt banjo-like tone that may sound alien to Western ears, but when pipa virtuoso Wu Man picks up the instrument, she is able to conjure both the alien and the conventional, and does so with a remarkable flair. A member of Yo-Yo Ma's groundbreaking Silk Road ensemble, Wu Man plays the instrument with the kind of skill generally associated with fleet-fingered classical guitarists. But there's more to this musician than chops. Here she makes revelatory connections with such guests as Appalachian banjo player Lee Knight, Ukrainian bandura player Julian Kytasty and Ugandan endongo player James Makubuya. More than meeting her collaborators half way, Man seamlessly meshes with her guests, able to create bluegrass grooves, Eastern European melodies or flurries of African harp-like notes. Highlights include "Nightrider" (with Kytasty) and "Raining" (with Makubuya), but the surprising versatility of this pipa player is biggest revelation of all. –-Tad Hendrickson