We've updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Chinese Bicycle Stories 自​行​車​之​錄

by Jeremy Moyer 莫傑明

supported by
Maina Cirac
Maina Cirac thumbnail
Maina Cirac Nous sommes directement transportés en Chine ...

Hypnotisant !
Dr. Kalt
Dr. Kalt thumbnail
Deciduous
Deciduous thumbnail
sophiashen
sophiashen thumbnail
nicc259
nicc259 thumbnail
/
1.
Kingdom of Nanzhao 南詔國 03:18
info
buy track
2.
Snow Legend 斷橋殘雪 02:47
info
buy track
3.
Suzhou Embroidery 蘇繡 03:20
info
buy track
4.
Spirit Wind 精氣神 05:41
info
buy track
5.
Spring on Wutai Mountain 五臺山春思 02:38
info
buy track
6.
Piggy Fights the Scary Monsters 降妖伏魔 02:37
info
buy track
7.
Sweet Dumpling Seller 賣湯圓 02:25
info
buy track
8.
Breathing In 吸氣 04:29
info
buy track
9.
Bringing in the New Year 大理風車 02:44
info
buy track
10.
Two Strings Dancing Chi (In memory of Zhang Shi-Dong) 琴靈 （紀念張仕棟） 06:09
info
buy track
11.
Making a Wish 許願 04:31
info
buy track
12.
Zhaokang Village 照康村 03:01
info
buy track

about

It all started in Dali, Yunnan in 2009. While Moyer was on vacation there, he stopped in at a local barbershop on Renmin Lu to get his hair cut. On the wall were hanging various musical instruments including a 3-stringed banjo (Qinqin 秦琴). The Qinqin was at one time the most common instrument everywhere in China yet nowadays it is rarely seen or heard and it doesn’t have much status compared with popular plucked stringed instruments such as the Pipa. But for Moyer, who has always been interested in musical roots, essence and purity, the Qinqin was just the thing he was looking for. This particular Qinqin had been rebuilt by the barber, Mr. Chen Baoguo (陳保國), fitted with a pentatonic fret system: a beautiful set of musical limitations… and possibilities. To play it, you needed to use a pick which was the sawed-off tip of a goat horn. The barber let Moyer play the Qinqin. Moyer sat and played happily for about an hour. The barber said that he was getting older and didn’t play much anymore. After some humming and hawing he asked Moyer if he’d like to buy the Qinqin. This was the beginning of a new chapter in Moyer’s musical life adventure.

The earthy, present voice of the Qinqin is the starting point for a set of compositions which establish the tone of Chinese Bicycle Stories. On this album Moyer explores the sonorities of Chinese instruments and folk music traditions while digging deeply into his own personal musical story. The music is at times reflective, at times spiritual, at times buoyantly celebratory and sometimes it’s just baking the beans. The 3-stringed narrator takes us on a journey: there are real places, there are legends, there are dreams. It’s the modern world all around us and it’s an imaginary past. Traveling, cycling, listening, learning and growing; these are Moyer’s Chinese Bicycle Stories.

Besides the Qinqin (秦琴), on this album Moyer also plays Guitar, Erhu (二胡), Gaohu (高胡), Kezi Xian - Taiwanese Coconut Shell Fiddle (殼子弦), Yehu - Cantonese Coconut Shell Fiddle (椰胡)，Sanxian (三弦) percussion and kalimba. There are guest performances by Kevin Ramessar on guitar, Shawn Mativetsky on tabla and Renaud Gay on flute. All the music is composed by Jeremy Moyer.

credits

released February 1, 2018

All music composed, arranged and performed by Jeremy Moyer
(Except Spirit Wind featuring Shawn Mativetsky - Tabla; Kevin Ramessar - Guitar; and Bringing in the New Year featuring Renaud Gay - Flute)

Recorded by Jeremy Moyer in Shanghai (Except Spirit Wind - recorded by François Lapointe in Montréal)

Mixed and mastered by J. Richard Hutt at Cedartree: Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

Cover art by Moyang

Produced by Jeremy Moyer

Contact: jeremy@jeremymoyer.com

www.jeremymoyer.com

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Jeremy Moyer image

Jeremy Moyer Taichung City, Taiwan

Jeremy Moyer (莫傑明): Canadian erhu player; multi-instrumentalist; composer; Orff and Kodály certified music educator and school teacher.

2008-2010: Musician in Residence - Shanghai-Zhujiajiao Water Village Music Centre.

2011-2018: Middle school music teacher/primary school classroom teacher - Lycée français de shanghai.

Has studied with Zhou Hao (周皓) & Yeung-Yee Lee (李楊義) ... more

contact / help

Contact Jeremy Moyer

Streaming and
Download help

Report this album or account

Jeremy Moyer recommends:

If you like Chinese Bicycle Stories 自行車之錄, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Max I Million joins the show to chat about his newest release, "Shine On".
listen now