Min Xiao-Fen is one of the most innovative interpreters of the pipa, one of the key instruments in Chinese music with a rich and storied history stretching back nearly two thousand years. Upon moving to the United States in the mid-'90s, she began to forge a new path for the pipa in modern jazz, free improvisation and contemporary music via collaborations with many creative music greats and through her own fascinating projects, including her work with her Blue Pipa Trio and her 2017 release, Mao, Monk and Me.
Her forthcoming album, White Lotus, is a collaboration with guitarist Rez Abbasi and an original score she wrote for the 1934 Chinese silent film, The Goddess. The album is out on June 25 and ahead of its release, we decided to chat with Min Xiao-Fen about it. We also explored moments of her own artistic journey and the link between jazz and the Chinese music tradition.
