China Visual Festival - Documentary Films

Looks like an interesting festival, check out: http://chinesevisualfestival.org/
All this weekend in London.

New Mix - DJ set from Electric Sheep Anthology Launch

Electric Sheep Anthology - Launch Party Mix by Luckycatzoe on Mixcloud

Here are the tunes I played at the launhc party for The End: An Electric Sheep Anthology earlier this month. A lovely book with articles on cult and world cinema and some great illustrations too. My favorite is a full page illustration of Gong Li's face taken from the shot at the end of the Zhang Yimou movie Ju Dou.

Back on the turntables! Fri 29th July

I am pleased to announce I will be DJing at the lovely bar Mango Landin' in Brixton on Friday 29th July. I will be spinning my usual mixture of vintage vinyl 45s of various genres: 60s Hong Kong pop, sound tracks, Reggae, Ska, Rocksteady, 60's Soul, Rhythm n Blues, Lounge and Cha Cha Cha!

Not a Lucky Cat night as such so there won't be any Asian snacks but Mango Landin' do have a BBQ style restaurant garden area for delicious jerk chicken etc. The cocktails are pretty good too (mango mojitos mmm). Come early for food, I start playing at 9pm and won't stop till I drop (around 3am). Dress up in your qipaos and get ready to skank to some Chinese Reggae.

Directions, menus etc on the Mango Landin' web site: www.mangolandin.net

I doctored this great propaganda pic for the flyer,turns out Mao was very fond of mangoes, read more here .

Ai Wei Wei @ Somerset House

I was very pleased to hear the news that Ai Wei Wei had been released (on bail) yesterday. In an earlier post I mentioned all not being a bowl of ju-jube berries when I visited China. The media control in society was difficult to swallow for me and I really felt it whilst I was there as when I visited Hong Kong Ai Wei Wei had just been arrested and it was all over the media. When I entered back into mainland China it was Ai Wei Who? I didn't see anything in the media at all. I'm sure young people were talking about it in code online but the air was strangely silent. I also had not realised the still marked difference between Hong Kong and mainland China media.

Here are some photos of my visit to the Ai Wei Wei sculpture exhibit at Somerset House in London last month. I thought it really suited the setting and I enjoyed my visit tremendously (as did my little 'kitten' who you can see splashing around in the fountains).

If you haven't been there are only a few days left so make a plan and visit!:
www.somersethouse.org.uk/visual-arts/ai-weiwei-circle-of-animals-zodiac-heads

See also:
Further article on Ai wei wei's release

Excellent Radio Piece on Flutist Guo Yue

Heard this by chance on BBC Radio 3 the otehr day. A very nice interview with flutist Guo Yue who grew up during the Cultural Revolution in China. You can listen again via the iPlayer if in UK:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b011txy8/Between_the_Ears_On_the_Rubble_of_My_Home_I_Played_My_Flute/

Also check out this Youtube clip:


You can buy his 2006 CD Music, Food and Love and find out more at Real World Records.

Lucky Cat Mixes on Mixcloud

I've decided to start using Mixcloud as uploads are unlimited! I will be posting up mixes from my vinyl collection and delving deep into the Lucky Cat archives. Hope you enjoy listening.

Lucky Cat Summer Mix 2011 by Luckycatzoe on Mixcloud

Pop Up Exhibition in New Cross this week

Fontless II is a 3 part collaborative music/visual performance about psychogeography - the act of urban exploration on foot and its application to join disparate resonances (emotional/sonic) through intervention and documentation.

Part I is created by Ben Absalom & Sam Bardsley, part II by Raimund Wong and part III by Oscar Oldershaw and Joe Campbell. All with live soundtrack by Maja Naga, this time with Toby S (mandolin and electric guitar), Camilo Tirado (tablas and percussion) and Raimund (ruan and guitar).

27th May 6 - 9pm, 28th May 1 - 9pm, 29th May 1 - 6pm

At 6pm on Friday there will be a screening of several films surrounding the subject, including The Solitary Life of Cranes.

Address & Transport:
Bond House Pop-up Space, Goodwood Road, SE14 6BL

Train: New Cross Gate/ New Cross
Buses: 343, 484, 21, 53, 172, 453, 136, 171, 177, 436, P12, P13

Links:
www.localanaesthesiaexhibition.com
Facebook Event Page

China Trip 2011 - Food Diary (Beijing)

I posted about the Tofu Fa on Lamma island Hong Kong but what about the other delights I sampled on my trip? Well, it just so happens that I kept a food diary.
Warning the following posts may make induce serious munchies:

Beijing
Thursday 31st March
Snack from outlet in hutong area: Weird triangular shaped snack with wafer like wrapping filled with egg custard and sweetcorn. Sweet and gloopy with crispy shell. Nothing special, forgot to take a photo.


















Dinner @ Sijiminfu, Qianmen District

• 1/2 a Roast Duck
  
• Pancakes
  
• Accompaniments for duck were the usual plum sauce, cucumber & spring onion with the delightful additions of pickled vegetables, red pickled ginger, roasted mashed garlic paste and a side of fresh mint, pea shoots and young salad leaves. We were also given some white sugar to dip the crispy duck skin in.
  
• Cold dish of celery shoots with blanched almonds
  
• Garlic shoots with pork and shrimps
  
• Rice
  
• Finished off with a bowl of duck stock broth.

Mmmm garlicy, top notch stuff. A very big thank you to Anxi for taking care of me in Beijing and making sure I was extremely well fed!

Friday 1st April
Breakfast @ my hotel: Steamed pork dumplings, plain congee with slithery shreds of pickled cabbage, watermelon.
Snack: Roasted sweet potato from street vendor




Lunch @ amazing Beijing snack restaurant. You walked through a corridor with stalls either side where traditional snacks here being cooked. As you entered the main seating area there was a stage with a guy straight out of central casting (grey Mao suit, long white beard, bald head, twinkle in his eyes) telling stories. The atmosphere was rowdy and not many people were taking notice of him but he bellowed on with his animated performance.

• Cooked pear in syrup. Pleasant.
  
• Sweet soup of white snow mushroom with goji berries, red beans and lotus seeds. Too musty for my tastes.
  
• Red cubes of Chinese hawthorn apple jelly and yellow cubes of mung bean / pea? jelly cubes
  
• Fried flour ring (doughnut)
  
• Lian ta hou shou - long, friedBeijing pork dumplings with black vinegar for dipping. Crispy delicious.

Dinner @ Karaiya Spice Housein San li tun area, in 'the village' a big shopping mall which is part of a huge new (6 years old) development. Massive Apple Mac and Nike stores there.

• Cold noodles made from fern root jelly with marinated cucumber
  
• Sliced beef with chilli oil and spring onion
  
• Chilled tofu cubes with diced chilli peppers
  
• Mushroom stir fry served over hot wok like clay pot on table
  
• Sizzling beef
  
• Steamed perch
  
• Ginger chicken (also served on table)

A delicious meal of Hunan food - previously an uncharted area for me. Whilst in China I made the discovery that Szechuan food isn't the only regional cooking to infuse dishes with a range of chillies, spice and salty delicious flavours, Hunan and Yunnan dishes are also very tasty.
Big thanks to Steve Barker for taking us to Karaiya Spice House.

Lucky Cat Series 5 Episode 11 (23rd April 2011) Podcast & Playlist

Joey Leung is in the studio to discuss the Terracotta Far East Film Festival. Joey also talks about his favourite custard bun! It was mighty fine too, not stingy on the custard filling and encased in soft pastry, yum.
Check out all the films showing at the Terracotta Festival here:
http://terracottafestival.com/films/2011

This is the last Episode of Lucky Cat Series 5. Whilst off air I will be podcasting so check this blog or join the Facebook group. Alternatively you can email me luckycatzoe at gmail.com to be added to the mailing list for random update emails.


Playlist:

• 回憶,旋轉,舞步 (Memories Swirling Dances) - Marshmallow Kisses (from CD Ciao Baby - great 60's cover art, see above)
  
• Love Without End - from the Lin Dai film, not actually sung by Lin Dai dubbed bvy another singer - not sure who?!
  
• Eye Wonder - AM444 (Cha Cha & Jay Soul)
  
• Broke (我們搖搖欲墜 Station Mix) - Marshmallow Kisses (from CD Ciao Baby)
  
• Where Have All The Flowers Gone - The Peanuts(Hit Parade Vol 5 LP)
  
• Slow Running Water? - Amy Yip EP
  
• Summertime - Jackie Mittoo
  
• Mimi & The Five Petals track, more to follow from this great LP....
  

Terracotta Far East Film Festival

The last episode of Lucky Cat Series 5 will air today on Resonance 104.4FM. Today I will be joined by Joey Leung of Terracotta Distribution to discuss the upcoming Far East Film Festival (5th - 8th May @ The Prince Charles Cinema, London).

Tune in at 3.30pm today! To be podcasted next week.

Lucky Cat Series 5 Ep10 (16th April 2011) Playlist & Podcast

Playlist:

• These Foolish Things (Remind me of you) - Etta James
  
• Rich As Slave Please - soundtrack CD for film 'Liu San Jie' (3rd Sister Jie)
  
• Shen Jing Mo Shao - AM444
  
• I Love A Go Go - Josephine Siao Fong Fong EP
  
• Mi Panda - Hiro (from 'The Detective' soundtrack)
  
• Don't Let Me Down - Marcia Griffiths
  
• Let Me Hold You Tight - Marcia Griffiths
  
• Dry your Tears - Prince Fatty feat Winston Francis
  
• That Very Night in Dub - Prince Fatty feat Hollie Cook
  

I recount my evening at the Cinema Museum for the Anna May Wong double bill: documentary 'Frosted Yellow Willows and silent film Song.
Oxide Pang's The Detective is reviewed and Chinese desserts are discussed in the Dim Sum Lunch Box.

Marcia Griffiths is playing this Sunday at the London International Ska Festival.

To Fu Fa on Lama Island Hong Kong

Refreshingly cool, delicate and delicious. Icy cold silken tofu with caramelised syrup.
To fu fa features in the Dim Sum Lunch Box on today's episode of Lucky Cat. Listen live at 3.30pm Resonance 104.4FM or www.resonancefm.com

Anna May Wong Evening @ The Cinema Museum

Just before I left for China I attended the Anna May Wong evening at The Cinema Museum in Kennington. Tucked a way in South London back street (aren't all the best thing?s!) I was bowled over by The Cinema Museum - old posters and lobby cards, ushers in stylish vintage get up, old projectors and even cinema carpet samples.

There was a nice little display of Anna May Wong stills and lobby cards and a cute little china figurine doll:








The evening began with a screening of Elaine Mae Woo's documentary film on Anna May Wong: Frosted Yellow Willows. I had heard that the film focused mainly on Anna May's professional life and was a little idealistic. I found this to be the case and was perplexed as to why Elaine had chosen to present such a formal account of AMW's life. After the film Elaine did a Q&A and explained that she is working on a part 2 which will cover the more personal aspects of AMW's life. I am not sure why she didn't do one comprehensive documentary instead. I know there is a lot of material but I think it would have been more balanced and well rounded. Elaine was a little vague in her answers during the Q&A and quite often went 'off piste', totally ignoring one gentleman's question about including an account of the song These Foolish Things (which was written for Anna May by writer and broadcasting executive Eric Maschwitz as an evocation of his longing for her after they parted) in the next film. To have a song written for you (and a good song at that) is pretty amazing - surely worth a play/mention in a documentary!

I did learn some new facts from the film and it was wonderful to see all the old footage, it is clear that Elaine Mae Woo is passionate about her subject and wants people to remember AMW as the great star she was. She was also a person, and people have flaws, it doesn't mean they are bad or they aren't worthy of being remembered or that they are not role models for a race (quite a burden anyway, I guess even more so in AMW's case as there just was not anyone else representing Chinese women on screen at that time).

After the Q&A it was time for a rare screening of the Anna May film Song - with live piano accompaniment - what a treat!
My favourite test excerpt from the silent film was when the character Carlotto was introduced and he was described as being "full of garlic and gaiety". What a wonderful description.
I really enjoyed the film - AMW shows her comedic potential in some silly skits and really steals the show. The knife throwing scenes are pretty hair raising - especially when the thrower is blind!
For a film of 1927 the special effects used were pretty good; an underwater sea fight, a flash back positioned on screen in a table and a scene shot underneath a steam train!

Back from China

I am back from my whirlwind trip to China - 3 cities in 11 nights! I ate my way around Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong; took plenty of photos, kept a food diary, partied, went sight-seeing, bought records, got a qipao made, made friends, visited old friends, took planes, trains, ferries, rickshaws, trams and taxis!

I recorded some material whilst in China which I plan to share via my radio show and podcasts. I only have 2 episodes left of Lucky Cat Series 5 and I feel like I have so much to share now. I will podcast whilst off air and I will be back for series 6 in September.

You may be surprised to learn that this was in fact my first ever trip to China! For a Sinophile like myself it was a long awaited dream come true. It was only a snapshot of a huge country and I experienced a mixture of emotions, including amazement and at times disappointment - I will expand on this more in future posts. It wasn't all a bowl of cherries (or jujube berries?) but then China also inspired and astounded me too.



I wanted to interview the brilliant Chinese singer Cha Cha whilst I was in Shanghai but did not get the chance (though we did manage to do a little partying at the bassy basement club Shelter). Here is the video from the cool dubby track '神经末梢 (Shen Jing Mo Shao)' by AM444 (a collaboration between Cha Cha and Dutch producer Jay Soul). This is taken from the album 'Eye Wonder' . Really like the artwork for the album, done by local artist Nini Sum.

Cha Cha and soon to be hubby Gaz Williams will be over in the UK this Summer so I hope to catch up with her then for an interview and maybe some jamming in the studio....
For more Shanghai related shennanigans check out Gaz's web site for his Shelter nightclub:
http://subcultureshanghai.com/.
I was at the club for the release of SIG's new album, more to come on that in a future post...

Rabbit in a Spicy Bean Sauce

Jessie Levene made this spicy rabbit dish for the Dim Sum Lunch Box (Series 5 Ep9). Jessie lived in Chengdu, China for 3 years, where she developed a love of Sichuan cuisine. For mouthwatering photos and foodie travellers' tales check out her blog:Jessie and The Giant Plate.

This recipe is adapted from ‘Sichuan Cookery’ by Fuchsia Dunlop. Shaoxing wine, chilli bean sauce, black beans and Sichuan pepper can be purchased at most Chinese supermarkets.

About ½ a rabbit, with bones still intact
3 spring onions
1 small chunk of ginger (about half the size of your thumb), unpeeled
½ tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 tablespoon fermented soybeans (aka black beans)
2 tablespoons of cooking oil
1-2 tablespoons (1 sachet) chilli bean paste (doubanjiang)
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
¼ teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon chilli oil (optional)
1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
1 teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper


1. If your rabbit is a bit bloody, bring a pot of water to the boil and blanch the meat for about 30 seconds.
2. Bring a pot of fresh water to the boil, and add the Shaoxing wine, 1 of the spring onions cut in half and slightly crushed, along with the unpeeled piece of ginger, also slightly crushed.
3. Add the rabbit pieces and boil covered for about 15 minutes, or until the rabbit is cooked through. Remove the rabbit to a plate and set aside.
4. Now make the sauce. Rinse the black beans in a little hot water, drain and then mash to a rough paste with a fork. Finely chop the spring onions.
5. Heat the cooking oil in a small frying pan, and when hot add the chilli bean paste. Turn the heat to low-medium and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, then add the black bean paste and stir-fry for another 30 seconds.
6. Once the oil in the pan is a nice red colour, remove from the heat and pour the contents of the pan into a small bowl. Add the soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil and chilli oil, and salt to taste.
7. Strip the cooled rabbit meat from the bone, cut into strips and place in a serving bowl. Pour over the spicy bean sauce and mix the meat and sauce well together.
8. Spinkle the meat with the ground Sichuan pepper, sesame seeds and finely chopped spring onions and serve.

Podcast & Playlist Lucky Cat Series 5 Ep9 (12th March 2011)

Here's last week's show, which includes tracks from 2 of my all time favourite LPs (Aretha Franklin and Poon Sow Keng). I also review Ip Man 2 - worth seeing for the Donnie vs Sammo fight! Congratulations to competition winner Tom Elliot.

Cine Asia are having a mega sale - loads of martial arts and East Asian films for a Lady Godiva (fiver)! Check out: www.cine-asia.com

There has been a change to broadcasting at Resonance - this coming Saturday 26th March will feature live coverage from the anti-government cuts march in London. Lucky Cat Episode 10 will be broadcast on 2nd April and the last episode of Series 5 will now air on Saturday 23rd April.


Playlist:

• Thank You For the Many Things You've Done - Cassandra (from the Babylon soundtrack LP)
  
• Uptown Top Ranking - Dub Colossus (from the EP Rockers Meet Addis Uptown)
  
• Crazy He Calls Me - Aretha Franklin (Soul 69 LP)
  
• Where Have All The Flowers Gone - Poon Sow Keng(It's Spring in Autumn LP)
  
• La Vie En Rose - Clara Rockmore (Theremin music)
  
• Media Control - Cha Cha (on the Jahtari label)
  
• Chilli Was Hot - Ruth Wallis (Party Favourites EP on Wallis Recordings, Ruth's own label, not bad for a woman in the 1950's to have her own record label eh?)
  
• Grant Avenue - from the Flower Drum Song soundtrack LP
  
• Welcome to My Heart - The Bouquets (Girls, Girls Girls CD compilation)

Japan - Ways To Help

The recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan has been a tragedy of epic proportions, too heartbreaking for words. Japan needs our help, there are lots of ways we can donate, here are a few:


1)Special screening of Beyond Anime: CALF Animation for Play for Japan

In collaboration with the Play for Japan project, Zipangu will be doing a special London re-screening of the awesome CALF Animation programme.

This selection of innovative and uplifting shorts from the minds of young award-winning animators Atsushi Wada, Mirai Mizue, Kei Oyama and TOCHKA (Takeshi Nagata and Kazue Monno) will challenge your conceptions of Japanese animation in popular culture.
Head down to the Roxy Bar and Screen on Borough High Street, London SE1 on Sunday 3rd April @ 6pm.

All admissions proceeds will go to the Japan Society Tohoku Earthquake Relief Fund.


Still from Handsoap by Kei Oyama, 2008.

2) Play For Japan - Full listings of other charitable gigs, screenings and events at:
www.playforjapan.com/

3) Donate a Shelter Box via Justgiving.com (nearly at their target £30K - come on!)

4) Make an Online Donation Now via The Japan Society

5) Or via Save The Children

6) US Readers: LivingSocial will match your donations; for each $5 donation through this offer they will also donate $5 to the American Red Cross Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami fund. See http://livingsocial.com/redcross

Resonance FM Fundraiser this weekend - please help

It's that time of year again when I ask for your help:

Resonance FM is devoting the entire weekend to its annual on-air
Fund-Raising Marathon. Over 100 experiences, items, artworks, rarities and more than your heart’s desire – all donated by generous supporters and all up for grabs this weekend.
The reason?
The cuts have affected Resonance already and the future looks uncertain for all arts organisations. All prorgamme makers and engineers on the station work for FREE! There are no adverts on the station and all content is offered to you FREE throughout the year. If you have ever enjoyed listening to an episode of Lucky Cat please dig into your pockets and

OFFER A DONATION via the Resonance FM web site

OR

BID IN THE AUCTION:
Short details - http://resonancefm.com/auction
Images of what's on offer - http://tinyurl.com/resauction
Follow the bids - http://tinyurl.com/resauction2

You can also phone in on +44(0) 20 7407 1210 or +44(0) 207 089 2170 or +44(0) 207 089 2172 or
email: auction@resonancefm.com

Thank you so much for your support.

Today's Lucky Cat - Sat 12th March 2011

Some info about today's show but first I would like to say my thoughts are with the Japanese people at this time of great crisis. Hoping that all friends and listeners are OK.



It was International Women's Day this week and my show has an all female playlist today incl. tracks from 2 of my favourite LPs: Aretha Fanklin's Soul 69 and Poon Sow Keng's It's Springtime in Autumn. Also new music from Ethiopian Reggae outfit Dob Collossus (pictured) and a recent vinylfind from Queen of 1950s risque Ruth Wallis.

It's competition time - I'll be reviewing martial arts movie Ip Man 2 and I have 2 copies to give away so stay tuned for the question...

Guest contributer Jessie Levene gives us a tasty rabbit recipe in the Dim Sum Lunch Box.

I will not be broadcasting next week as Resonance are having a fund raising marathon. Please tune in to find out how you can participate, there will be lots of art works and collector's items up for auction. You can always donate to Resonance via the web site: www.resonancefm.com very easy to do, using PayPal.

After today's show there is only one more episode of Series 5 of Lucky Cat left!!! This will air on Sat 26th March and will feature a biog of writer Eileen Chang.

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

Thanks for listening.

Lucky Cat Podcast & Playlist Series 5 Ep 8 (5th March 2011)

Last Saturday's episode of Lucky Cat my interview with Clive Chin (see previous post for more info).

Playlist:

• The Big Beat - Fats Domino
  
• Don't Stay Out Late - Lord Creator
  
• You Can't Fool Me Again - Peter Tosh & The Wailers
  
• Sugar Sugar - Bob Marley & The Wailers
  
• Java - Augustus Pablo
  
• Harvest in the East - Tommy McCook
  
• One Day You'll Know - Cha Cha & Ranking Joe
  
• Woman of the Ghetto - Hortense Ellis
  

More Linkage:
Reggae Vibes Interview with Clive Chin
Places to Buy Represses of Randy's and Impact! label 7"s:
Dub Vendor
Sounds of the Universe (Soul Jazz)
Juno

Comments? Please email me: luckycatzoe at gmail.com