Third ONYX CD from the Moscow Soloists and their charismatic director Yuri Bashmet. Both previous ONYX releases (Symphonies by Shostakovich, Sviridov and Vainberg 4007- and Stravinsky Apollo/Prokofiev Visions Fugitives 4017) won US Grammy nominations and the latter release won the Grammy Award in Feb 2008. This disc is their most enterprising so far, and features Bashmet as violist and violinist as well as director: a Pilgrimage from Russia to the Far East in an enterprising mix of cultures and flavours in works from China and Japan. Tan Dun is of course well known in the West for “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and is now based in New York. This world premiere recording is for pipa, a 4-stringed ancient Chinese lute-like instrument. Wu Man is its foremost exponent and a prominent soloist as well as leading member of Yo Yo Ma’s Silk Road project.