China: Time to Listen (Vol. 3)

This decisive 3 CD set may well be the crown jewel from the young, ambitious Ellipsis Arts label. Staking claim to the multi-CD international and eclectic music markets, Ellipsis commissioned producer Josef Bomback to encapsulate the music of the world's most populous nation. Bomback's divided the music into themed CDs: the first features musical stories-a staple of Chinese traditions; the second features music from China's vast ethnic minority populations; and the third delves into various intersections of sound and spirituality. Performers such as pipa legend Wu Man and the awesome Huaxia Chamber Ensemble bridge historic traditions and contemporary concert music, while an array of folk-tinged vocal groups and soloists make polyphony and percussive a matter of course on this phenomenally crafted and planned set. --Andrew Bartlett