Elizabeth Reian Bennett, Boston. Photo: Gregory Solovey

Song of the True Hand selected Instrumental Album of 2006: “…(exemplifies) the way a single individual with a musical instrument can wordlessly conjure the human spirit out of thin air.” — Blog Critics Magazine, Jon Sobel

“…Elizabeth Reian Bennett’s mastery of the traditional bamboo flute is evident in every moment of this fascinating hour of music. No recording can replace the experience of sitting in a room…listening to a live shakuhachi performance, but Bennett’s haunting, sliding tones and seemingly infinite variations in attack, volume, and breathiness are quite capable of taking the listener on a deep sonic and spiritual journey even through a pair of stereo speakers.” — Blog Critics Magazine, Jon Sobel

“Many students of foreign disciplines are tempted to record prematurely, without necessarily mastering their style at the highest level. But this is not a concern with the American shakuhachi player Elizabeth Reian Bennett…The music on her very fine album Song of the True Hand…(is in) a very clear and classic style…a lovely sound.” —  fRoots Magazine, Phil Wilson

“The word ‘haunting’ is easy to sling around in music reviews, but if one were to be haunted, the accompanying sound would probably be that of a shakuhachi….On True Hand, Bennett wrings a dazzling variety of techniques from the bamboo; though the music is quite unlike jazz, her technical vocabulary is reminiscent of Coltrane in his prime.” — The Hartford Advocate, Dan Barry

“Her skill with the instrument is clearly world-class and worthy of her title.” — Asian Music, The Journal of the Society for Asian Music.  Jay Keister, University of Colorado.