Wu Wei & Wang Li - Overtones

© Hai Zhang

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Wu Wei & Wang Li - Overtones
Wu Wei - sheng
Wang Li - kouxian (jew´s harp)

The Breath of Harmonics

In what seems like an act of sorcery, two ancient musical instruments are resurrected in this singular collaboration. Born in China and now based in Paris, Jew’s harp virtuoso Wang Li spent four years living in a French monastery, where he immersed himself in an introspective serenity that has become central to his musical voice. His collaborator for this performance, the Chinese-born, Berlin-based sheng master Wu Wei, has performed with the Berlin Philharmonic under Kent Nagano, the Los Angeles Philharmonic with Gustavo Dudamel, and many other world-renowned ensembles.

Together, these two intrepid artists embark on gorgeous improvised meditations, exploring the nuances of their instruments. The twang of the Jew’s harp and expansive ambience of the sheng are supported by circular breathing and throat singing; the drones are punctuated with exhilarating rhythms, tricking the ears into hearing electronic sounds where there are none. Wu Wei and Wang Li don’t discover new worlds of sound so much as create them, enveloping the audience in poetic visions.