“...This recording which was done in Shanghai shows a promising way of interesting partnerships and collaborations.
The musicians improvise with Chinese traditional folk songs as imaginatively and aptly as with Gershwin’s “Summertime.“
The title “Sonic Calligraphy“ .... represents the music of the ensemble very beautifully, be it in “Autumn Reflection“ or in the collectively improvised “Heaven.“
****Jazz’n’More, November/December 2010
"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."
Pacifica Tribune (USA), October 2006
"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."
Philadelphia Weekly (Eugene Holley Jr.), May 2004
"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."
Tages-Anzeiger Zürich, March 2004
"Music with ethereal beauty, inviting us to fly and dream…"
Züritipp,, March 2004
"As a Chinese born in New York, the jazz singer Peggy Chew was always connected with the two cultures from which she grew up with. On the new album "Sonic Calligraphy" where she collaborated with her partner, Swiss pianist Adrian Frey, the two musicans have created an intriguingly beautiful style."
Radio Magazin, March 2004
"Peggy Chew and Adrian Frey who for this production also contributed their own compositions have succeeded in developng an attractive mixture that sounds very organic."
Neue Zürcher Zeitung, April 2004
"Sonic Calligraphy" bewitches through an aromatic cocktail of Chinese folklore and modern jazz ballads."
WOZ Wochenzeitung, Juni 2004
"On the duo CD "Sonic Calligraphy" Chinese melodies fuse with modern jazz arrangements. The Asian American roots are reflected in an original way and create a truly extraordinary atmosphere."
Jazz in Zürich, CD Liner Notes, November 2004
"A very special fusion which is not at all common and results in new, very colorful expressions…"
Jazz Notes (France), January 2005
