I have a 'clearspot' slot on Resonance FM this Wednesday 19th November 8-9pm. You can tune in on 104.4FM or through the Resonance web site. Chinese/Jamaican Reggae legend Byron Lee recently passed away and I will be paying tribute to him on this Lucky Cat Special.
It has been a sad couple of months actually, with the passing of my favourite Reggae singer of all time Alton Ellis, then Byron Lee and then South African singer Miriam Makeba. However, I am happy to know the music they shared with the world. And I am grateful for it. RIP.
I am pleased to announce that Lucky Cat Series 3 will begin on Tuesday 6th January 2009 on Resonance 104.4FM. The weekly programme will be broadcast live for one hour, expect the usual mix of music (from Ska to Cantopop), interviews, movie news and reviews and brand new recipes in the Dim Sum Lunch box. To join my mailing list or to make any requests or suggestions for the new series please email me at luckycatzoe (at sign) gmail.com
Two dates for your diary: Sa Dingding (pictured) plays at the ICA in London next week www.sadingding.co.uk
Also at the ICA LA/Cambodian pyschedilc pop rock group Dengue Fever play on Thursday 20th November. Check out the excellent documentary film about the band: www.sleepwalkingthroughthemekong.com Also well worth checking out is the trailer here for the documentary film on the lost Rock n Roll of Cambodia Don't Think I've Forgotten www.cambodianrock.com
Here it is, one whole hour of musical listening pleasure. This went out on 20th September on the BBC Lancashire show 'On The Wire' run by Mr Steve Barker. OTW blog here: http://otwradio.blogspot.com/
No talking just music. Like Dirt.
Lloyd Terrell - Birth Control- PAMA
Roland Alphonso - El Pussycat - Island
Prince Buster - Pussycat Bite Me - FAB
Lee Dorsey - The Kitty Cat Song -Stateside
The Skatalites - Chinatown - Top Deck
The Chiffons - Oh My Love - Laurie
Laurel Aitken - Shoo Bee Boo Bee -NU BeatNat King Cole - Cachito - Capitol
Poon Sow Keng - Why Should I Remember - EMI
Joesphine Siao Fong Fong - Ding Dong Twist - Angel Records
The Echoes - Ding Dong - Roulette
Eartha Kitt - Somebody Bad Stole the Wedding Bell - Official
Hortense Ellis - Melody Life - Third World
Connie Francis - Jealous of You - EMI
Miss Yao Lee - Suspicious Heart - PATHE
Etta James - Fool That I am - PYE Records Ltd
Lydia Mendoza - Mal Hombre - Folk Lyrics Records
Lady Ann & Alborosie - Informer - FORWARD
Dave & Ansel Collins - Karate -Techniques
Rita & Sakura - Talk of the Town -Columbia
The Lyrics - Music Like Dirt - Coxsone Records
Sam Cooke - Farewell My Darling -RCA
Sizzla - Just One of Those Days - VP
I will have the pleasure of DJing on the Axis sound system at the end of this month. So if you are located North please do check out the sound at Marshalls Bar in Hebden Bridge on Saturday 1st November. More about the mighty Axis soundsystem here: www.axissound.co.uk Really looking forward to it, and there's Caribbean food! Yum. Will try and take some pics.
Today I went to Chinatown with my family and we saw the lion dance for the Autumn Moon Festival. There were also some stalls an other entertainment going on, organised by the London Chinatown Association. We decided to go to the new restaurant Plum Valley on Gerrard Street as I had heard good things about it. It is kind of a budget version of Hakkasan. Black wooden minimalist interiors with seating booths. I do like a booth. Also handy with small children as they can be 'trapped' in between 2 people in a booth (my daughter is very curious and constantly trying to escape). We ordered some dim sum and a couple of noodle dishes. All excellent. The prawn and chive dumplings had a nice spicey kick to them, the lo pak ko (turnip cakes) were exquisite (not greasy or rubbery and packed full of shrimps and pork). Lucky Cat recommends! After that we went to the bakery next door and I bought a mini lotus seed paste moon cake. An afternoon well spent.
Packets of Asian brand noodles can make for a tasty and cheap meal and you'll feel less like a student if you add some fresh ingredients.
One packet seafood flavour noodles
Handful of beansprouts
Handful of chopped coriander
Handful of tiny, dried baby anchovies
1 egg
2 Finely chopped muschrooms
1 finely chopped spring onion or small leek
1 clove of garlic cut into slices
Water
Oil
First boil the egg for 8 minutes (nearly hard boiled but still a bit of a squidgey yolk). Set aside. Stir fry the baby anchovies, chopped mushrooms and spring onion for 2 mins then add the garlic slices. When nicely browned and fragrant remove from heat. Follow the instructions on the noodle packet to cook noodles. When done and in a bowl peel the egg and slice in half, place on top of noodles. Scatter the fried ingredients over the egg and noodles, then the beansprouts then the coriander. Add a wedge of lime if you want to get really sophisticated. Tuck in.
Mr Steve Barker, journalist, broadcaster, dub connoisseur and current Beijing resident, very nicely asked me to contribute a one hour mix for his BBC Lancashire music show On The Wire. I am pleased to announce that my Lucky Cat mix will be aired on Saturday 20th September on BBC Radio Lancashire on 103.9, 95.5 & 104.5 FM and on 855 & 1557 AM and on local digital radio (all of these apply to Lancashire residents otherwise check the podcast or blog links below). Podcast here: http://odeo.com/channels/47901/rss.xml Blog here: http://otwradio.blogspot.com About Steve Barker BBC Lancashire page http://14tracks.com - Steve's selections
The Wind Up Bird Chronicle - Haruki Murakami Atmospheric, weird, Japanese novel. Some startling imagery and Lynch-esque surreal story lines. Some of the novel focuses on the Japanese WWII history and at times I found the horrific war events hard to read. However I soldiered on (pun intended) and found the characters' stories enthralling. It's a long read but worth it in the end, it will have you thinking about the characters and the events long after you have read the last page. Just one more criticism, too many sandwich descriptions! More tofu please. Journey to the West - Cheng'En Wu Monkey. Pigsy. Sandy. Tripitaka. All the gang are here! After seeing the Japanese TV show 'Monkey Magic' as a child I was fascinated to read the original text (well, a translated and heavily abbreviated version). A truly wonderful and inspiring read. Which reminds me I saw that someone has kindly uploaded the animated film Uproar in Heaven to youtube. Check it out here, beautiful animation: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXUsvPvLUKw Buddha - Osamu Tezuka The life of Buddha (the 5th century BC Indian prince Siddhartha Gautama) told in 8 volumes of Manga. Drawn beautifully by the 'don dada' of Manga himself Tezuka. Addictive reading, it seems a challenge at first but speeds by. Jokes a plenty too. Thanks to Navindh for lending me the books.
Originally it was rumoured that Tony Leung Chiu Wai was set to play the lead in this biopic about the Peking Opera star Mei Lanfang. Leon Lai actually takes the lead role, leaving Tony busy filming Red Cliff with John Woo. This trailer is really just some stills put together (a montage if you will). One day I will have my make up done like that!
The ICA in London has a season of Tibetan films, see: www.ica.org.uk/ Kekexili: Mountain Patrol is showing which I thoroughly recommend. A beautiful and powerful film about the patrol assigned to protect the rare Tibetan antelope. I saw this film a few years ago and it only received a limited release here which was a shame. Unfortunately all too common with Asian movies here in the UK.
Thanks to all who came down to Scooterworks for the In the Mood Party on Saturday 14th June. It was a great night with some fabulous cheongsams sported. Congratulations to contest winner Sagra who had the best heartbroken yearning pose! Thank you to Nick and Karen for their photography, here are some examples, to see more go to: www.nickgwyer.com/scooter_work_06_08/index.html
Dance Now is at Sadler's Wells this Friday 13th Saturday 14th June, 8pm (Lilian Baylis Theatre). Chinatown Arts Space has produced this event in partnership with Sadler's Wells.
It's the culmination of two weeks intensive exchange between celebrated Guangdong Modern Dance Co's Liu Qi (choreographer / dancer) and gay British Vietnamese choreographer / dancer Anh Ngoc Nguyen, exploring the themes of connection & renewal.
Joining them are exciting British Chinese composer Suki Mok (heard interviewed on Lucky Cat early this year) and British HK dancer Maggie Kwan.
The Tiger Festival runs 29th May - 8th June in London at the ICA and Brighton. Highlights include a documentary on Chinese Hip Hop Follow Your Heart, a Thai comedy 7 Days to Leave My Wife (pictured) and a Japanese musical Memories of Matsuko. Plus the Johnny To schizo police thriller Mad Detective and if that's not enough how about a very big monster in the Korean D-War? See www.tigerfestival.com for details.
I recently purchased this Koo Mei record, lovely. Very In The Mood for Love. Koo Mei is on the Shanghai Lounge Divas CD and was a very popular singer in the 50's and 60's. You can see a clip of her singing in a Shaw Brothers movie (I presume as the logo keeps appearing!) on You Tube:
I'm going to be putting up all the episodes from Series 2 of Lucky Cat Sept 2007 - March 2008. Here is the first one. You can look up the recipe featured on this very blog.
Here are some pics from the Songkran party at Scooterworks. Find more here: http://www.nickgwyer.com/sw/ Thanks to Nick and Karen for their happy snapping.
Chinatown Arts Space present the second performance from their Five Circles Festival. (The first was the Dragon Tongue Squad, Kevin Quan and Suki Mok show). At the Royal Opera House once again:
Classic Film, Contemporary Score (UK/China) Friday 18 April 2008, 8pm Linbury Studio Theatre at the Royal Opera House £12 Adults, £8 Students & ROH Access List, £5 Standing
World premiere by four British Chinese composer/musicians Chi2, Jiang Li and Kimho Ip of an exciting new score for the award-winning Chinese silent movie Song of the Fishermen (1934).
Royal Opera House Box Office: 020 7304 4000 Online booking: www.roh.org.uk
Introduction - Welcome To Thailand - Thai Pop Spectacular 1960s-1980s
Crazy 4 Hip Hop - Dragon Tongue Squad
Yellow Bird - Rita & Sakura
How Sentimental Can I Be - The Mellows & Lillian Leach
Bye Bye Seventeen - Poon Sow Keng
Lullabye of the Bells - The Deltaires
Ding Dong Song - Siao Fong Fong (pictured in her role as Jet Li's Mum in Fong Sai Yuk - one of my favourite movies)
Lung Dee Kee Mao (Uncle Dee is a Drunk) - P.Promdan
You Better Stop - Lavern Baker
What's the Use of Getting Sober - Louis Jordan
Bye Bye Boogie - Amos Milburn
Dusty Old Dust - Woody Guthrie
Zaijian - Siao Fong Fong
Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye - Pat Kelly
Farewell My Darling - Eugene Paul
Bye Bye Blackbird - Etta James
That was the last Lucky Cat of the current series. I will return to the airwaves.....in 6 months or so, to be updated on this and other Lucky Cat events join the mailing list by emailing me luckycatzoe at gmail.com
Manhua or Chinese comics can be found on display at the London College of Communication, Elephant & Castle. See the China Now web site for more details. The image to the left is by Chinese comic veteran Nie Chongrui. Alex Fitch is fetauring the exhibition on his Resonance FM radio show Strip! on Thursday 13th March. Tune in on 104.4FM in London or at www.resonancefm.com anywhere. Hey, don't forget to listen to my show, Lucky Cat, too - 10pm Tuesdays on Resonance FM.
Honey How you Like Your Eggs - Marseille Figs (from the latest CD The Dirty Canon available to buy now see http://www.marseillefigs.org for details)
Spring in Fairyland - Unknown Chinese singer from LP of the same name
Dirty Little Monkey - Marseille Figs
Girly, Girly - Sophia George
Police Officer - Smiley Culture
Push Up U Lighter - Top Cat
This Town Needs a Sheriff - Shut Up & Dance
Honemade Aishite - Rita & Sakura
Harbour Lights - Billy Ward & His Dominoes feat. Clyde McPhatter & Jackie Wilson
Don't Fall Asleep at the Wheel - Marseille Figs
Get Out My Life Woman - Lee Dorsey
Monkey Spanner - Dave & Ansel Collins
Tonight's Dim Sum Lunch Box featured steamed rice buns filled with black sesame syrup coated with crumbled cashew nuts and coconut. Yum. These little dim sum delicacies were from Dragon Castle restaurant in Elephant & Castle, London SE17.
Japanese title - Mizuhara Hiroshi from Seishun uta nenkan '61 BEST (1960's J-Pop)
I Yi Yi Yi - Carmen Miranda
Pirate Jenny - Nina Simone
Fire Bun - Louie Culture
Pickin' Off Peanuts - Seven Foot Dilly and his Dill Pickles
Japanese title - Nagai Frank from Seishun uta nenkan '62 BEST
Three of These Things - Susan from Funk Soul Sisters LP
Japanese title - Ai George Seishun uta nenkan '65 BEST
Shotgun Wedding - Roy C
Passion Flower - The Peanuts (Japanese girl duo, pictured)
Old Black Magic - Louis Prima & Keeley Smith
You Can Have Him - Nina Simone
Kitty, Stop Meowing - Beijing Angelic Choir (played whilst eating dim sum lunch box - Chinese peanut satay and Chinese chicken livers, recipes to follow....)
LONDON CHINATOWN - PUBLIC ART COMMISSION OPPORTUNITIES
As part of the Chinatown Arts Festival 2008: Five Circles, London based arts organisation Chinatown Arts Space (CAS), and Chinatown’s principal landowner, Shaftesbury PLC, are working in creative partnership to commission two major new pieces of exciting public art for London's Chinatown.
HORSE & DOLPHIN YARD : MURAL COMMISSION WHO: East Asian* artists born or resident in the UK are invited to submit proposals VALUE: £6,000 WHAT: Create a vibrant contemporary artwork suitable for external display for 2 years.
WARDOUR STREET : SCULPTURE COMMISSION WHO: All East Asian* artists worldwide are invited to submit proposals VALUE: £20,000 WHAT: Create a permanent eye-catching three-dimensional artwork in any medium that is suitable to withstand the elements.
NOTE THE DEADLINE HAS NOW BEEN EXTENDED: DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES: 28th MARCH 2008
Full entry details of the requirements for submission of proposals, and the specifics of each site, can be downloaded from www.chinatownartsspace.com. For more information, please contact Parker Harris on T. +44 (0)1372 462190 or E. cas@parkerharris.co.uk
*East Asia includes: Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, East Timor, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, North Korea, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and their diasporas
The DTS came on last week's Lucky Cat radio show and 'mashed it up' with their freestyling! I was very impressed with their skills and later I found out that J-Fever is the freestyle champion of China. Thanks to DJ Geko for providing an excellent selection of beats for Dragon Tongue Squad. I went to see the performance at the Royal Opera House which was pretty good but I think having them on the show freestyling was a better experience, I hope you all enjoyed listening. If you missed the show I will be putting it online in an archive soon. To be notified of when this happens or to join the Lucky Cat mailing list please email me luckycatzoe@gmail.com.
I think I was dancing in the pic shown so looks like there is no DJ!
The next party will be for Thai New Year (Songkran) on 12th April. Email me at luckycatzoe AT gmail.com to join the Lucky Cat mailing list for updates.
I am delighted to announce that I will be joined by China's premier Hip Hop crew Dragon Tongue Squad live in the studio tomorrow night! Join me for Lucky Cat Tuesday 19th February at 10pm on Reosnance FM - 104.4FM in London or online anywhere at www.resonancefm.com
The DTS are playing this Thursday 21st and Friday 22nd February at Linbury Studios, The Royal Opera House along with Kevin Quan (DJ Phat) and Suki Mok. Tickets: 020 7304 4000
On tonight's Lucky Cat radio show on Resonance FM I will be joined live in the studio by David Tse of China Town Arts Space, Spanish guitarist Suki Mok and DJ/scratch artist Kevin Quan (aka DJ Phat). Suki Mok and Keving Quan will be performing with the Beijing rappers Dragon Tongue Squad at the Royal Opera House later this month as part of the Five Circles Arts Festival.
Show starts at 10pm tonight (Tuesday) and is repeated at 2pm on Friday on 104.4FM in London or online at www.resonancefm.com
Pack of Wing Wing Brand Chinese Sausages (Lap Cheong) 4 Eggs - scramble and set aside 1 Large onion - chopped 2 cloves garlic - minced 2" knob of ginger - chopped finely Handful of dried shrimp - soak in boiled water 30 mins 3 teaspoons preserved/pickled vegetables 2 dessert spoons pickled turnip Mustard Greens - chopped Fennel chopped 8-10 baby sweetcorn, chopped roughly Pre cooked rice Cider Vingar Soya Sauce Black Pepper
The great thing about fried rice is you can add anything you want and it's a good dish for leftovers. I used fennel as I thought it would go well with the lap cheong, I have had it with chorizo before and the aniseed flavour compliments the pork sausage. I used Cider vinegar for a change as I am always using rice wine and I thought the apple vinegar taste would also compliment the pork. I was very pleased with the results.
The most important thing is to have all your ingredients ready before hand. First fry the chopped lap cheong (chop on the diagonal) in a small amount of oil. Remove and place on paper. Add a little more oil to the wok and hea, then add the onions. Followed by garlic, preserved veg, pickled turnip, fennel, mustard greens, baby sweetcorn, rice and lap cheong. Keep stirring so it all gets really mixed in. Flavour with cider vinegar, soya sauce and black peppper.
I am throwing a party to celebrate the Year of the Rat. I will be cooking some dim sum lunch box recipes and playing my usual mix of East Asian & Western music. Expect Etta James, Anita Mui, Thai Molam, Toots and the Maytals, Betty Chung, Lee Dorsey and Rita Chao (pictured). Scooterworks is a lovely cafe/bar on Lower Marsh, SE1, just 3 mins walk from Waterloo station.
I am very excited about this event: Chinatown Arts Space presents an evening of East/West musical collaboration with a live performance from Beijing Hip Hop crew Dragon Tongue Squad and UK scratch master DJ Phat (Kevin Quan) and Spanish guitarist Suki Mok. There will also be a dance performance from Blazian.
When? Thursday 21 & Friday 22 February 2008, 8pm Where? Linbury Studio Theatre, Royal Opera House How much? £12 Adults, £8 Students & ROH Access List, £5 Standing
An acquired taste, the bitter melon aka bitter gourd, draws out the sweetness of other flavours creating a harmonious balance. I recently had a very nice Surinamese bitter melon dish in Amsterdam, unable to find the exact recipe but it was similar to this recipe for Steamed, stuffed bitter melon with black bean sauce.
For all things bitter melon see the National Bitter Melon Council's web site: www.bittermelon.org
Chow's alien comedy CJ7 will be released here in the UK on 21st March. You can watch the trailer here: www.sonypictures.net/movies/cj7/ Looks entertaining. Wonder if the alien will be a big merhcandise money spinner? It is quite cute...
You will need either a whole chicken cut up or chicken pieces. Six pieces to serve four people.
chicken 4 oz tamarind pulp 8 cups boiling water six cloves garlic finely chopped 6 shallots finely chopped 6 oz palm sugar- or any dark brown sugar will do.. 1 cup dark soya sauce good handful toasted coriander seeds ( roast in dry skillet ) salt and freshly ground black pepper
you can add a little chilli too if you like it hot
Put tamarind pulp in a bowl- pour on boiling water. Mash it thoroughly and after five mins strain into a larger bowl Throw in garlic , shallots , sugar and soy sauce.
Add chicken pieces. Rest the marinade either overnight or AT LEAST FOUR HOURS.
put the chicken and marinade into a large pan on top of the cooker. Sprinkle over the coriander. Cover and simmer for 40 minutes- until chicken is tender and the liquid is reduced. This is quite a dry dish so if you have too much liquid at this stage- spoon some off and reserve for later use. most of the sauce should be absorbed by the chicken pieces. Season with salt and pepper Serve with coconut rice and a spicy coconut and pineapple sambal
The veteran Hong Kong star - actor, producer, writer, director, TV presenter and restauranteur - was born on 14th April 1953. Eric started his career in cinema as a stuntman. His father Tsang Kai wing was a professional footballer and then coach and Eric was following in his footsteps until at 23 he got fed up of being compared to his Dad and wanted to excel at something different. As a footballer he had met Sammo Hung and Lau Kar Leung and become friends with them. Although he didn't know kung fu Lau Kar Leung thought his physical skills could be put to good use as a stuntman. He began working, often as a double for women as he was short.
Eric then decided to turn his hand to screenwriting and in 1977 wrote the script for the Shaw Brothers Kung Fu masterpiece (Wu Tang Clan and Tarantino favourite) The 36th Chamber of Shaolin. Industry friend Karl Maka helped him with this new career move.
"To help script The 36th Chamber of Shaolin I studied harder than I ever did in my life even more than when I was in school. I studied all the books I could find because I really wanted to put all the animal styles in the script - tiger, snake etc. I wrote about the theory of kung fu so I could put that material for Lau Kar Leung. Then the next scipt I wrote was Dirty Tiger, Crazy Frog."*
Eric then got into directing, his first job was as assistant director on the Jackie Chan movie The Fearless Hyena. Instead of joining the film production company Golden Harvest like Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung Eric's friend Karl Maka brokered a deal with Cinema city. Tsui hark was also part of the Cinema City family. Eric directed Aces Go Places for Cinema City which became a popular series of films (he also starred in them). Eric was definitely not the matinee idol type and believes he paved the way for other fat/quirky looking actors.
In 1984 Eric left Cinema city and Sammo approached him and asked him to join Golden Harvest to star in and associate produce Twinkle Twinkle Little Stars.
In 1986 Eric teamed up with old pal Jackie Chan to direct him in Armour of God:
"I talk to Jackie. I told him he was not improving. He had now girls in his films. I told him that, even though I'm not that famous, some girls like me. I also said he had no friends in his movies. I suggested that he should begin to work with singers like Alan Tam and put some girls in his movies."*
In 1992 Eric co-founded the film production company Untied Filmmakers Organisation (UFO). Around this time Eric's career as an actor was changing. In the 1980's he starred in numerous Carry On style, cheesy slapstick comedies. in the 1990s his roles began to be more serious. Notably his role as a mob boss wooing Maggie Cheung in Comrades Almost a Love Story directed by Peter Chan. Eric's character is introduced in very brief shots as longer shots may have got automatic laughs from the Hong Kong audience.
In the 1990s Eric began to get more serious roles in dramas and in 2002 he was given a fantastic role where he really came into his own as an actor - as Triad boss Sam in the finest film of the Hong Kong gangster noir genre Infernal Affairs. Apparently Anthony Wong was supposed to play this role but they wanted someone with real gravitas (and acting awards!) to play the policeman so they gave him this role instead. Good news for Eric and it is hard to imagine anyone else in the role now. Eric's inspiration for Sam came from watching Anthony Quinn in Avenging Angelo: "In every scene he is eating and that defined his character. I wanted to be a guy that no one could pin down. No one knew when he was happy and when he was sad. He was always different...The most important thing about playing this role is the fact that I am old enough to be the boss of Andy Lau and Tony Leung. I sa these 2 actors grow up in the film business so it was natural for me to be the boss."
As well as eating in films Eric is obviously a bit of a foodie as he has now become a restauranteur. First he opened the restaurant Eric Deli Paradise in the Hartmas Shopping Complex Malaysia - in good company Kenny Rogers has a chicken restaurant there (I suppose he does look a bit like Colonel Saunders). The restaurant serves steam boat and dim sum goodies. Pictures of Eric adorn the walls and his TV show Super Trio Series plays on a TV.
Eric opened his first mainland China restaurant this year in Shanghai. Also a hotpot place, he thinks it will never go out of style and hopes visitng HK stars will patronise the restaurant.
Eric is still busy making movies, starring in the 2007 Wong Jing comedy Beauty and The 7 Beasts and due to hit our screens in Jay Chou's Shaolin Soccer homage Kung Fu Slam Dunk in 2008.
Eric Tsang with your raspy voice, cheeky expression and limitless talents, we salute you.
