**“When you watch Asian movies, you often hear that haunting, beautiful flute sound. That’s the shakuhachi (or xiao) – an instrument that’s much harder to play than it looks. You can’t blow too hard, but you also can’t play too softly. I’ve tried many times myself – sometimes I get a clear tone, other times I feel like I need a bit of luck just to make it sing.

My wife even has one hanging on the wall. She says it’s not just for music – it’s for keeping bad spirits, or even bad people, away from our home. Do you believe that?”**