Walking on the Tiger's Tail means behaving wisely in the face of danger, being aware of it without challenging it, while remaining calm and determined (1). Most of the pieces on this album were inspired by Taoist texts, which are rich in poetic paradoxes like this.

Butterfly Dream: Once, Chuang Dsi dreamed that he was a butterfly. When he woke up, he wondered whether he was Chuang Dsi who had dreamed of being a butterfly or a butterfly who dreamed of being Chuang Dsi. (2)

Yielding Water: The irresistible power of water is that it does not resist. This weakness makes it possible for the water to hollow the stone, its yielding makes it overcome the hard and rigid. (3)

Totsu! is the exclamation that a Zen student is said to utter when he has attained enlightenment. This dry, crackling sound also occurs when a leaf of the Pawlonia tree falls to the earth.

Wingless Flight: it's easy to stop in your tracks. It's more difficult to move forward without touching the ground. You have heard of flying with wings. But you have never heard of flying without them. You have heard of becoming wise through knowledge. But you have never heard of becoming wise through not knowing.

I wrote this music after a difficult period in my life, a period that paradoxically led me to a serene composure. An inner peace that I lived and sought at the same time. This explains my fascination with ancient Chinese books, symbols of universal wisdom and power. When I was feeling better, I wanted to share and co-create the music of those moments with two very close friends: with Art Lande, the pianist who shaped my first two albums "Miracles" (1989) and "Zanzibar" (1992), and with his long-time musical companion, the outstanding woodwind player Paul McCandless. There is such an intimate understanding and respect for each other between the three of us that we needed a special instrumentation. That's why we dispensed with a bass player and each of us took that part in turn. And the percussion playing of Jamey Haddad reminds us of the distant landscapes in which these rhythms are rooted.

I would like to thank from the bottom of my heart all those who have shown me their friendship when my health was failing and I dedicate this music to those who are now facing the tiger. The music has carried me as a mother carries her child, and it reminds us that every single moment is a miracle! (Nguyên Lê, December 2004)