Woman of 2011: Carina Lau

Apologies for the break in blogging; down to cold/flu and seasonal festivities.
My Woman of the Year for 2011 has got to be Carina Lau. I really enjoyed her menacing performance in Tsui Hark's Detective Dee and also her comedic turn in Let the Bullets Fly. In her honour, here's a lovely song.

Lucky Cat S6 Ep9 (10th Dec 2011) Playlist & Podcast - Movie Special

This week it was a movie special. Virginie Selavy (Editor of Electric Sheep magazine & member of The Actionettes) joined me to discuss East Asian film releases of 2011. Virginie brought in some her 45s to play and it was great fun listening to her soulful selection.
Some of the films discussed were:
Villain
Sparrow
The Ghost Cat and the Shamisen
Gallants (Teddy Robin, pictured, gives an excellent comedic performance in Gallants)
Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame
Woochi the Demon Slayer

• I Wanna Know - Sugarpie De Santo (Checker label 45)
  
• I Told You So - The Chantals (Carlton label 45)
  
• Take A Piece of My Heart - Mahalia Saunders (Hortense Ellis on Upsetter label 45)
  
• Something's Gotta Hold On Me - Don & Alleyne Cole
  
• The Entertainer - Tony Clarke (Chess label 45)
  
• Burnt Toast & Black Coffee - Mike Pedicin (Gusto label 45)
  
• You Don't Care - The Techniques (Treasure Isle 45)
  

Sat 10th Dec: East Asian Cinema in 2011

Electric Sheep Magazine editor Virginie Selavy joins Zoë Baxter in the studio to discuss the East Asian film releases of 2011. The Xmas TV schedule will also be scrutinised for any East Asian cinema offerings.
Zoë and Virginie will be playing 45s from their collections - expect Reggae, Soul and 60's girl groups.

This week's dim sum lunch box will contain a new twist on a British classic; the bacon sandwich.

See also: www.electricshe​epmagazine.com

Set your dial to 104.4FM this Saturday at 3.30pm or tune in via www.resonancefm.com

Lucky Cat S6 Ep8 (3rd Dec 2011) Playlist & Podcast

Last Saturday I was joined by the fabulously flamboyant saxophonist Megumi Mesaku. We talked about Ska in Japan and Megumi's musical journey; from playing the sax in a marching band as a youngster, playing with Ska bands the Top Cats, the Trojans and Latin/Ska combo Ska Cubano to releasing her own material. For her new 10" 45 vinyl record Megumi has collaborated with some legendary Reggae musicians.
We also talked about Megumi's home town Soma City which is in Fukushima. Megumi has been raising money for Soma City since the Tsunami hit earlier this year. So far she has raised an impressive £7,000 and last month she returned to Soma City to see the effects of the Tsunami for herself and to give the Mayor the donations. Megumi is still fund raising and needs your help! This Saturday 10th Dec please go along to the Kimono Girls' Jumble Sale this Saturday to buy some lovely hand made gifts for Xmas and support a very worthy cause. 11am - 6pm Pacific Social Club, No 8 Clarence Road, London E5 8HB.
Facebook Event Page.

Miss Megoo and the Yahman Allstars' 10 45 is out now and available from JohnJohn Records.

• Feel So Good - Shirley and Lee
  
• Tokyo Shot - The Ska Flames
  
• Piel Canela - Ska Cubano
  
• What a Wonderful World - Miss Megoo and the Yahman Allstars(Miss Megoo (Megumi) with Rico Rodriguez)
  
• Soma Bota - traditional music from Soma City
  
• Blue Lagoon - Miss Megoo and the Yahman Allstars
  

Megumi Mesaku (Miss Megoo) on this Saturday's Show

This Saturday (3rd December) I will have a special guest live in the studio: Megumi Mesaku aka Miss Megoo. Megumi is a fantastic saxophone player who has played with Ska Cubano, the Trojans and the Topcats. She has now embarked on a solo project, composing music and collaborating with different artists for The Megumi Project.
I will be chatting to Megumi about her new project, playing her brand new 10" record (which is a collaboration with the legendary Rico Rodriguez) and asking her more about the Kimono Girls' charity work following the earthquake in Japan earlier this year.

Links:
Megumi's Facebook page, Myspace and Youtube.
See also: Big Jay McNeely (a big musical influence of Mehumi's).

Tune in on Saturday 3rd December @ 3.30pm (UK) via 104.4FM in London or www.resonancefm.com anywhere.

Lucky Cat Christmas Party 16th Dec

Continuing my regular DJ spot at Mango Landin' I am throwing a special Christmas Party with a guest appearance by the fabulous Black Elvis! Should be a real treat. Hope to see you there (it's free so what are you dithering about?!).

Facebook event Page
Mango Landin' web site

Lucky Cat S6 Ep7 (26th Nov 2011) Playlist & Podcast

Photo taken Shanghai 2011, myself and Cha Cha, copyright ZB.


Here's yesterday's show which features my interview with the amazingly talented singer and musician Cha Cha. I really enjoyed speaking with Cha Cha - the original interview was about an hour and a half so I had to cut to a lot of material but I hope I kept in the essence of Cha Cha's creative positivity and passion for music. Cha Cha also made some insightful comments about life in China, especially in a big city like Shanghai. It was truly a pleasure speaking wither her, I hope that you enjoy listening.
I think I'm a bit of a superfan now! Will bring you all the Cha Cha news as and when I get it, big tings a gwaan for this lady...

Playlist:

• Uprooted Sunshine mix track - Cha Cha
  
• Money Slaves - Cha Cha with Disrput (Bass Shelter EP on Jahtari label)
  
• One Day You'll Know - Cha Cha & Rankin Joe (Randys label 10")
  
• Love is the Drug - Kode 9 Spaceape feat Cha Cha (from the album Black Sun)
  
• 神经末梢 (Shen Jing Mo Shao) - AM444 (from the CD album Eye Wonder)
  
• Eye Wonder - AM444 (from the CD album Eye Wonder)
  
• Eye Know - AM444 (from the CD album Eye Wonder)
  
• 末日前相见 - Along with Cha Cha (exclusive)
  
• Love song - Cha Cha (Clive Chin production, unreleased)
  

Exclusive Cha Cha Interview on today's show

On today's show check out my exclusive interview with China's premier Reggae and Soul singer Cha Cha.

Based in Shanghai, Cha Cha has collaborated with a variety of international artists - The Bug, Kode 9, Rankin Joe (for Clive Chin's Randys label), Adrian Sherwood and Vibronics. Earlier this year Cha Cha teamed up with Dutch producer Jay Soul to form AM444 for the excellent funk/soul/dub album Eye Wonder.

Currently Cha Cha is at the Red Bull Music Academy in Madrid - the first ever mainland Chinese participant!

Recent collaborations have been with Chinese Hip Hop MCs and producers.

Earlier this year Cha Cha visited the UK for the first time and I recorded an exclusive interview where Cha Cha talks about her musical roots and the emerging Shanghai bass culture music scene.

Listen Live today at 3.30pm (UK) on Resonance 104.4FM in London or via www.resonancefm.com anywhere.

See also:
Subculture Shanghai
Cha Cha on Red Bull Academy Radio

In Berlin? Cha Cha is performing at the Worldtronics Festival on 1st December with Disrupt - Reach!

Playlist & podcast for today's show uploaded shortly....

Lucky Cat S6 Ep6 (19th Nov 2011) Playlist & Podcast

For Episode 6 I am joined by musician, journalist and crate digger Chris Menist to discuss his forthcoming Dust to Digital compilation of Vietnamese music. Chris kindly brought in a killer selection of 45s. The 2 Vietnamese tunes are particularly beautiful, really looking forward to the compilation (should be out on vinyl - yey - in January 2012). Check out Chris' blog for info on upcoming DJ dates.



Playlist:

• Hala Hala A Go Go - Wong Ching Yian (Singapore 7")
  Chris Menist's 45s:
  
• Black A Black - The Eathopians (Crab Label 7")
  
• Expensive Gasoline, Again! - Ream Daranoi (Thai 7", answer record to Expensive Gasoline 8 Announcers label)
  
• Neu Co Xa Nhau - Phuong Tam (Continental label, Vietnamese 7")
  
• Doc Chiec Tung Cau - Doc Tau (Continental label, Vietnamese 7")
  
• Beyond the Last Mountain OST - Sohail Rana (EMI 7", Pakistani film score)
  

Paul Au's Vietnamese 45s

When I interviewed Paul Au at his record shop in Hong Kong I found out that he was originally from Vietnam. Paul was one of the many refugees who fled Vietnam for Hong Kong during the war in the 1970s. Paul had already been collecting records in Vietnam but had to leave them all when he left for Hong Kong. Over the years he has managed to collect all the records back again. These were not for sale but Paul was keen for me to take photos of the 45s to share online.
This Saturday crate digger, journalist, and music compiler Chris Menist (Soundway, Finders Keepers) will join me on Lucky Cat radio show. Chris is currently preparing a compilation on Vietnamese music for Dust to Digital and I hope he will bring some Vietnamese music to play on the show.
For now, here are Paul Au's recollected Vietnamese vinyl treasures:

Lucky Cat S6 Ep5 (12th Nov 2011) - Edine Kwok's Mix

Here's Saturday's show. Please see my previous post for the playlist. Edine Kwok pictured. Thank you Edine for a lovely mixture of music for Lucky Cat.
Check out the Tramgirl Karaoke Facebook page here:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tramgirl-Karaoke-Club/291404880888315


In this episode I blathered on about food I sampled in Shanghai. Highlights were Taiwanese peanut butter ice cream and Xinjiang lamb skewers (pictured above).
I also frequented bubble tea / crazy drinks emporium Happy Lemon. Cute graphics + ice milk tea with taro = happy.

Lucky Cat Sat 12th Nov Playlist

Today Edine Kwok of the Marshmallow Kisses and Tramgirl Karaoke Club contributes an exclusive mix for Lucky Cat! Edine has has chosen some tracks which reflect her musical influences and she also shares some new tunes from her latest project Tramgirl Karaoke Club.
ZB's selection:

• ChaCha riddim - Vibronics & Cha Cha (exclusive mp3) HAPPY 6th BIRTHDAY Uprooted Sunshine crew!
  
• Nanjing Rd 2011, Shanghai soundscape recorded by ZB 2011
  
• Echoes of the Old Lanes - from CD The Sounds of Shanghai
  
• The Alphabet - Astley Dixon (from the CD Noah Found Grace Jamaican Gospel, Social Music Records)
  

Edine's Mix:

• Maskopet Movie - Tramgirl Karaoke Club feat Maskopet
  
• Lalala I love your wongkarwaiish - Tramgirl Karaoke Club feat Emilio Jose
  
• 回忆旋转舞步 － The Marshmallow Kisses
  
• 爱的开始 － 姚莉 (Yao Lee)
  
• Ce petitie coeur - Francoise Hardy
  
• Shine - Dahlia
  
• 爱情 I Know - Pink A
  
• Talk to her - Tramgirl Karaoke Club feat - Treasure Teeth
  

ZB again:

• It's Soon Be Done - Otis Wright (from the CD Noah Found Grace, compiled by WFMU DJ Kevin Nutt)

The Grand Masters

Lucky Cat S6 Ep4 (5th Nov 2011) - Beijing Audio & HK 45s

Here's yesterday's show. Please see my previous post for the playlist. Photos shown here were taken in Jingshan Park, Beijing.

Lucky Cat Sat 5th Nov Playlist

Today's playlist:

• Audio recorded in Jingshan Park, Beijing April 2011
  
• Can't Buy Me Love - Cantonese Version of the Beatles track
  
• When I Saw Her Standing There - Cantonese Version of the Beatles track
  
• Lonely Weekend - Kitty Lam (Diamond label 45)
  
• Wonderful Life - Chang Loo (EMI EP, pictured)
  
• Dim Moon - Chang Loo (EMI EP, pictured)
  
• ? - Lucky Records 45 (pictured)
  
• ? - HK EMI 45 (pictured, red/black/white cover)
  
• Love of Rose - Kitty Lam (Diamond label 45)
  
• Mama - Chang Loo (EMI EP, pictured)
  
• Girls are Flowers OST - Connie Chan (from the 1966 film 姑娘十八一朵花, OST EP, pictured)
  
• My Fantoms - Hong Kong in the 60's
  
• Arcade Addict - Disrupt (Jahtari)
  

A big THANK YOU to Hong Kong in the 60's for their amazing jingle.

Lucky Cat every Saturday 3.30pm (UK) 104.4FM www.resonancefm.com
Podcast to follow....

Korean Film Festival in London NOW

www.koreanfilm.co.uk

Also showing at the ICA is Hong-jin Na's follow up to the marvellously tense The Chaser; Yellow Sea. Looks like another nail-biting, hands in front of face thriller!

Lucky Cat S6 Ep3 (29th Oct 2011) Playlist & Podcast

Image from KanZeOn: A mystical journey from the timeless to the modern looking at the role of sound in Japanese Buddhism
Dir: Neil Cantwell, Tim Grabham. Showing at Zipangu Film Festival.

For Episode 3 I am joined by writer and film curator Jasper Sharp to discuss his forthcoming book the Historical Dictionary of Japanese Cinema and Zipangu Film Festival.
Playlist:

• Excerpt from Shaolin vs Evil Dead (Get well Gordon Liu)
  
• Mad Witch - Dave Gardner (Buffalo Bop Horror Hop CD)
  
• Lajabless Woman - Lord Executer(Supernatural Calypso CD)
  
• Satori Part 1 - The Flower Travelling Band (from the album Satori)
  
• Tokyo Nostalgia - Jiro Shinkawa (Star Parade Vol 9 King Label LP)
  
• Pictures of Adolf Again - Jim O'Rourke (The Soundtrack to The United Red Army)
  
• Doraemon - Doraemon OST
  

Paul Au - a True Vinyl Hero (photos part 2)

One More Day - Cha Cha +WordySoulspeak EP

Cha Cha+WordySoulspeak's new EP One More Day is on soundcloud now (free download)
http://soundcloud.com/chachachina/sets/one-more-day-chacha/

ChaCha and Beijing DJ Wordy and producer Soulspeak team up for this Hip Hop/Soul EP.

Go Cha Cha! Great title track, do your ears a favour and download it!

Cha Cha news - Europe here she comes:

Monday 14th November - Montana Sagrada with ChaCha (live) - Club Nasti, Madrid

Thursday 1st December - Disrupt & ChaCha (live) - Worldtronics Festival, Berlin

Halloween Bento

Pumpkin head skeleton man made from carrots, cheddar moon and stars on a bed of rice flavoured/coloured with sesame oil and dark soya sauce.

Faceless avocado witch with nori seaweed hat on a bed of rice seasoned with rice vinegar and spring onion.

For more accomplished spooky bento see: www.kawaiikakkoiisugoi.com

Jasper Sharp on Today's Show

Today I will be joined by writer and film curator Jasper Sharp to discuss his forthcoming book Historical Dictionary of Japanese Cinema and Zipangu Film Festival.

An expert on Japanese cinema, Jasper has written several books and is co-editor of the website Midnight Eye.
Jasper is now the director and head programmer of Zipangu Fest, the premiere festival in the UK showcasing Japanese films, and the co-director and co-programmer (with Chris Magee) of the Shinsedai New Generation Japanese Film Festival in Toronto.
He's also a bit of a foodie with a love of fungi and making his own berry wines. I will be bringing some ghostly bento to the studio for us to sample in this week's Dim Sum Lunch Box.

See also:
Upcoming Elctric Sheep Magazine Event An Evening of Subversive Japanese Cinema
Kôji Wakamatsu’s Sex Jack + Jasper Sharp and Julian Ross in conversation.
Tuesday 15th November, 7pm @ The Horse Hospital. Details here.


My Zipangu Pick:
The Ghost Cat and the Mysterious Shamisen
Back from the dead, a rare pre-war horror especially subtitled for Zipangu Fest
Dir: Kiyohiko Ushihara,1938 @ The ICA
Sunday 20 November 2011 at 3:00pm
Thursday 24 November 2011 at 8:45pm

Tune in today 3.30pm Resonance 104.4FM in London and www.resonancefm.com everywhere. Podcast to follow in the next few days. Don't forget for all the latest Lucky Cat news and updates you can join the Facebook Group or email luckycatzoe at gmail.com.

Lucky Cat S6 Ep2 (22nd Oct 2011) Playlist & Podcast

For Episode 2 of Series 6 I am joined by actress Lucy Sheen to talk about her career and upcoming project In The Mirror which also features solo performances by Anna Chen and Veronica Needa.
To book tickets please go to: The New Diorama Theatre web site

• China Night - Mary Leung (Hotel Miramar Hong Kong commemorative 7" picture disc, bought in Paul Au's shop)
  
• Autumn Wind - Zhou Xuan (Pathe 100 CD)
  
• Always Together - Stephen Cheng (Sunshine label reissue 7" 45)
  
• Soon You'll Be Gone - The Blues Busters (Sunshine label reissue 7" 45)
  
• Nursery rhymes - by Shanghai children (from the CD Sounds of Shanghai by China Record Company)
  
• Sans blouse et sans pantalons - Fonseca et ses anges noir (7" 45 EP Pathe label)
  

I finally own the only original Rocksteady Reggae tune sung in Cantonese recorded in Jamaica. OK so it's not original vinyl (this record is very rare and £300 + I think). Reissue is good enough for me - I've still been waiting 7 years to see one of these up for sale! I think this was originally a Taiwanese folk song, The Girls of Ali San, here's the lovely Carrie Koo Mei singing it:

Apparently Francis Yip does a version too - if anyone has on mp3 I'd love a copy. Please email me luckycatzoe at gmail.com
Thank you.

Lucy Sheen on Today's show

Today I will be joined by actress Lucy Sheen to discuss her upcoming show There are Two Perfectly Good Me's: One Dead, the Other Unborn.
This is part of a 3 woman solo show produced by True Heart Theatre, IN THE MIRROR: Three women, three stories from Chinese diaspora. Lucy, Anna Chen and Veronica Needa will each be performing solo shows at the New Diaroma Theatre from 9th to 12th November 2011.

I will be asking Lucy all about the new production and her acting career.

Today's dim sum lunch box contains some Tawianese fish balls - new recipe, all organic - courtesy of Daney Hsu from Borough Market.

Tune in today 3.30pm Resonance 104.4FM in London and www.resonancefm.com everywhere. Podcast to follow in the next few days. Don't forget for all the latest Lucky Cat news and updates you can join the Facebook Group or email luckycatzoe at gmail.com.

Lucky Cat S6 Ep1 (15th Oct 2011) Playlist & Podcast

In this episode I recount tales from my HK trip including my magical visit to Paul Au's record store in Kowloon. Includes and interview with Paul Au.

• Batman - Lynn Tait and the Jets (reissue 7" on Merritone, subsidiary of Federal Records. Distributed by Japanese label Dub Store)
  
• I Love Bat Girl - Josephine Siao Fong Fong and most probably Lui Kei (mp3 from softfilm)
  
• La Novia - The Peanuts
  
• Dance of the Yi Pipa - Pipa Solo from the 10" LP Year of Happiness, Folk Instrumental Music (China Record Company)
  
• Music Addict - Solo Banton (Jahtari EP)

Mentions:
Korean high-school horror Death Bell is released in the UK by Terror-Cotta and on sale now, check: terracottadistribution.com/films/death-bell
If you want to find out more about China's Got Talent UK look here.

Paul Au - a True Vinyl Hero (photos part 1)

I ♥ Hong Kong

Today's show will mostly be about my 3 days in Hong Kong earlier this year.
Here are a few reasons why I loved it so much:


Tony Leung was at the airport to meet me when I arrived (kind of).


The food is soooooooo good. Here's the meal I had at the Islam Food Centre. The veal dumplings were truly divine. Thanks to Phil and Alice for taking me and quick mention for Mango Vine where I saw a post about the restaurant which aroused my interest.

The stunning view after travelling up the hill on the peak tram. Pretending I was in Love is a many Splendoured Thing and trying to trek around to walk off the 2 dinners I had the night before:

Dinner # 1: Nyona style Malaysian chicken curry with roti and greens @ Asia Family, Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay.

Dinner # 2 @ Yung Kee Restaurant, the classic Roast Pork on Rice



It's not all hustle and bustle, I took some time to chill out on Lama island (birthplace of Chow Yun Fat and hippy idyll):

My last meal in HK was dim sum at the airport. Airport food - yeah I know, what you're thinking. But this is Hong Kong! The bar is set a lot higher, the food was pretty damn good. Check out these cute hedgehog shaped dim sum, yum yum:


One of the best things about my stay in Hong Kong was going to Paul Au's incredible 2nd hand vinyl record shop in Sham Shui Po. I will save my photos for a new post, coming right up....

Tune in to today's show for all my HK memories and vinyl delights.
UK time 3.30pm Resonance 104.4FM in London or via www.resonancefm.com anywhere. Podcast to follow.