Press

"Chew is well steeped in the vocal arts…gives new meaning to the concept of the voice as an instrument. "

"Unforgettable Voice…Peggy Chew grew up as a daughter of Chinese immigrants in New Jersey. Originally a jazz singer, she opened up her repertoire to include folk and pop music…a wonderful and well crafted CD."

"With exuberant scat singing, lyrical phrasing, Latin-Feeling and swinging jazz, Peggy Chew establishes herself as a versatile and multifaceted singer."

"Peggy Chew is beyond doubt a jazz singer with talent: a full command and expression of the voice, a lot of rhythm…"

"The singer with the beautiful dark timbre…impresses through her wide range of expression…"

"Smart music fuse of culture without boundaries…the vision of Sonic Calligraphy…The Chinese tune "Lan Hua Hua" (The Orchid) was hip, catchy and hot…"Li Bai's Mood" (Frey) accompanied by the words of an ancient Chinese poem "Quiet Night Thoughts" spotlighted Chew's  eloquent vocal charm inside a whirl of expressive percussion. The extraordinary musicianship of Sonic Calligraphy is obvious."

"The release of this profound disc by the Swiss-based Chinese-American vocalist Peggy Chew and her partner, pianist Adrian Frey, marks the birth of Sino-syncopated cool. Save for some self-penned collaborations and a beautiful wordless vocal rendition of Wayne Shorter's Blue Note classic "Mahjong," the majority of the CD's tracks are a stunning blend of jazz with Chinese and Taiwanese traditional folk songs, as evidenced by their hypnotic take on "The Girl From the Ali Mountain (Ali Shan de Guniang)," the black backbeat of the Sichuan tune "The Orchid (Lan Hua Hua)" and the funereal "Li Bai's Mood," based on Li Bai's poem "Jing Ye Si (Quiet Night Thoughts)." Chew's angelic alto voice radiates with equal soul and warmth in English and her native tongue, and Frey's command of the keyboard spans the styles of Keith Jarrett and McCoy Tyner. This dynamic musical duo has fulfilled Duke Ellington's prophecy of an Afro-Eurasian eclipse."

"Without pretension, they spontaneously produce music along the border of Chinese folk melodies and jazz. The Chinese lyrics give this melancholic music a tender expression…the combination of jazz and Chinese music creates an amazing mixture."

"Music with ethereal beauty, inviting us to fly and dream…"

"As a Chinese born in New York, the jazz singer Peggy Chew was always connected with the two cultures which she grew up with. On the new album "Sonic Calligraphy" where she collaborated with her partner, Swiss pianist Adrian Frey, the two musicians have created an intriguingly beautiful style."

"Peggy Chew and Adrian Frey who for this production also contributed their own compositions have succeeded in developing an attractive mixture that sounds very organic."

"Sonic Calligraphy" bewitches through an aromatic cocktail of Chinese folklore and modern ballad jazz."

"On the duo CD Sonic Calligraphy, Chinese melodies fuse with modern jazz arrangements. The Asian American roots are reflected in a original way and create a truly extraordinary atmosphere."