Like a crystal clear stream, her spirit has worked its way up from the depths, and has become pure cascades, flowing at times gently and at times swiftly – her voice the sound of bright laughter.

How to describe her color? The sunlight follows her upon her journey and is refracted into the colors of the rainbow – as in a drop of rain or the morning dew. The bamboo groves shade her image and the morning snow rides upon her back.

How to describe her character? A pleasant and refreshing trickle; a playful splash from a jade waterfall; an angry torrent; a gauzy mist; the loving cycles of the tides; a placid, sparkling lake, or the motionless, frozen surface of a pond in winter.

How do we remember her many voices? In the ravine she murmurs softly, she follows the horizon line, or pauses and ponders in front of the flower, whispering intimately to any ear that will listen.

She sings a song that echoes through the mountains, "On the high mountain... ... Beneath a tree, oh… a Bo tree where the sage has come to rest. Such simplicity – and suddenly, a soulful folk ballad catches the wind."

Don’t worry, there are musical instruments performed here –

---ethnic drumming, and the Conga drum;

---The piano also makes an appearance, as does some Jazz-styled improvisation.

---And much more.

---Keyboards, synthesizers, guitar, accordion, vibraphone, as well as a full string orchestra;

Certainly those are also here –

---Zheng, Bass Ruan, Pipa, Bamboo Flute, Dulcimer, Liuqin, and numerous ethnic Chinese instruments;

---The Komuz, the Matoqin, Western percussion, the Dombra, the Chiba Bamboo Flute, the Lu Sheng Mouth Organ, and an assortment of beautiful national musical instruments.

Each happily joining together in harmony, making its voice heard, and sounding out as a symphony of many voices united in a single, marvelous note.

This is “World Music” but it is also a “fusion” that allows the primary colors of each tradition speak with its own unique voice. Traditional sounds presented in colorful new arrangements.

Yunnan, Sichuan, Guangxi, Hunan, Tibet, Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, and more… 12 folk songs, from the heart of China’s rich ethnic traditions fill this sonic travelogue. Each musical tradition permits a glimpse into the local traditions and customs, expressing an ancient love of nature, chronicling the cycles of life and nostalgia.

Here you will also find an example of a well-known folk song of the Han Nationality in addition to the folk songs of other national minorities we are certain you have never heard before – but no doubt very popular within their own communities – all of which have been preserved for generations within their communities – and hopefully to find new, appreciative audience as a result of hearing them performed here.

The power of folk song lies in its ability to communicate “universal values” – basic human emotions and experiences understandable even in a cross-cultural context. Our program includes several examples of songs in praise of the beauty of nature, courtship songs, lyrics expressing nostalgia, being homesick and the comforting bonds of family.

As a result of the on-going debate over the accepted performance practice of authentic folk music these days, our goal was to produce a recording that would meet the expectations of the most discriminating collector.

In order to introduce the beautiful legacy of China’s rich folk song tradition to a wider audience, we have taken the liberty of incorporating some more… “contemporary” elements in our arrangements of these simple and natural melodies.

Every effort was made to preserve the unaffected beauty and sincerity of these musical traditions - the arrangements avoid avant-garde novelties and “New-Agey” stylings. Our hope is that our new presentation will provide listeners with a new sense of appreciation for the beauty of authentic folk songs.

Our young arranger has utilized many new and interesting approaches in his approach to these folk songs, both to accentuate the pure beauty of the original and to offer the widest possible perspective on the musical traditions being represented.

Folk songs originate in the heart of a people and should be sung from the heart, without self-consciousness or artifice.

The voice of Lui Jie is like the crystal-clear water of a sacred spring.  You sense that she really IS a young, naive girl when she sings “Eryuan Love Song”. And after you have listened to the other songs she has performed, you will find so much more to appreciate in her appealing and versatile style of singing.

The saucy “Flying a Kite”, the refined charm of “Moonlight”,  the yearning of “The Eyes of the Young Man Who Just Passed By”, the spirited “Intimate Love Song”, the tranquil and meditative “City of the Sunlight, the tender “Mother appears in a Dream” the suggestive “Metaphorical Camellia” -  all of which are performed with a freshness and natural sense of expression that will come as a revelation to many.

This recording was made in the famous state-of-the-art studios at CCTV  - a debut that will surely launch Lui on the road of success.

Our recording also features the expertise of Li Shapui, the top recording engineer in Asia who oversaw this recording, and the acclaimed German studio Pauler Accoustic, responsible for post production and mastering. Throughout the process of recording this project, every effort was made to be completely committed to the authenticity and integrity of each and every song and create a recording representative of the highest standards of modern audio production.

Folk songs flutter upon the wind into different ears and leave their marks or cast their shadows on every individual who hears them. The most beautiful tunes not only touch the heart but are long-remembered by the ear.  Whether in the quiet, dark hours of the night or in the fresh moments of a new day dawning, these lovely, pure melodies will touch your heart every time you listen to them.