Lucky Cat Series 10 Episode 7 (2nd May 2015)

This week's show was co-hosted by my daughter Lina, we discussed the upcoming film Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon II and the Asia House Bagri Foundation Literature Festival (7th - 18th May)

Listen:

https://www.mixcloud.com/Resonance/lucky-cat-2nd-may-2015/

Playlist:

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon – Tan Dun and Yo Yo Ma (from the OST CD of same name)

Shanghai – Freddie Notes and the Rudies (Trojan label 7”, A side)

I Can’t Stand the Rain – Elaine Montague (Hums label 7”)

Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day - Freddie Notes and the Rudies (Trojan label 7”, B side)

Heigh Ho – from the 7” record of Disney’s Snow White and The Seven Dwarves

I’m a Bird – foxtrot from the Taiwanese LP Dancing Music

Penny Reel – Eric Morris (UK Island label 7”)

Mount Zion – Desmond Dekker and the Aces (UK Island label 7”)

Dark Show – AM444

Homeward Bound – cha cha from the Taiwanese LP Dancing Music

Dis Oh Dis! – Line Renauld (7”)

Gee Baby Gee - The Butterflys (The Red Bird Story Vol 2 LP, Charly label)

Karate Boogaloo - Jerry O 

PJ Rox, AM444 and KFC Lucky Cat Sat 25th April

Here is the track listing or last week's show which you can listen to here:

www.mixcloud.com/Resonance/lucky-cat-25th-april-2015/

Lana - PJ Rox (CD/download single: http://www.reverbnation.com/pjrox)

Lian - AM444 (from the EP Dark Show)

Dark Show (Forrane Remix) - AM444 ()

Love Me or Leave Me - Nina Simone (7" Bethlehem label)

Send Me Some Lovin - Jeanette Simpson (7" Giant label)

Dearest - Dotty and Bonny (7" Treasure Isle label)

I Yi Yi Yi Yi - Carmen Miranda (Hollywood Sings LP)

When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano - Billy Ward and His Dominoes feat Clyde McPhatter and Jackie Wilson (King label LP)

Swallows Return when Willows Are Green - Lui Hung (Chinese Folk Songs LP)

I Cover the Waterfront - The Ink Spots (label 10" LP)

West Lake Under Autumn Moonlight - 

Lui Hung (Chinese Folk Songs LP)

Cool Water - Hank Williams (MGM label LP)

Drinking Again - Dinah Washington (from the Roulette LP of the same name)

The other KFC

After visiting a local Korean chicken restaurant I decided to have a go at making the finger licking' good chicken myself.  I found this fantastic blog:

http://www.koreanbapsang.com

There are many different types of fried chicken; garlic, plain, shredded spring onion style and so on.  I decided to try out this sweet sticky chilli chicken as I love to dip fried chicken into sweet chilli sauce anyway - these wings come ready-smothered in a delicious spicy sauce, yum!

http://www.koreanbapsang.com/2015/02/yangnyeom-chicken-korean-fried-chicken.html

The recipe did not fail me - possibly the best fried chicken I have ever tasted.   A bit of a palaver what with the double frying but good things come to those who deep fry twice as they say!

Recommended.  Finger smackin' marvellous!

Yangnyeom Chicken

'Dark Show' - New EP by AM444 is out now!

At last the dynamic duo of ChaCha and Jay Soul (AM444) have their new EP Dark Show out!  The new EP has more of an electronic and futuristic sound than previous releases with Cha Cha's smoky and hypnotic vocals weaving their spell over the listener.  They have a fantastic video for the title track Dark Show, which suits the mood of the EP perfectly, directed by American director Eric Ransdell (Fly Films):

 

AM444's track Guai Meng (weird dreams in Chinese) from their previous album Rooms, featured on the soundtrack to the Michael Mann film Blackhat (a Sino American thriller starring Chinese film starts Tang Wei, Wang Lihong and “Thor” Chris Hemsworth). Sadly the track couldn't save the film, not even the dynamic duo AM444 could manage that feat.

Dark Show is an EP full of atmosphere; the darker side of life in the metropolis of Shanghai, a futuristic noir, a Blade Runner for the ears!

AM444 plan to tour in the latter part of 2015...Watch this space....

Listen: https://soundcloud.com/am444/sets/dark-show-ep

Buy: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dark-show-ep/id979196063  /  am444.bandcamp.com

See also:

http://am444.com

chachashanghai.tumblr.com

Chinese Visual Festival - Podcast Online

 

Art Curator Xuhua Zhan and Festival Director James Mudge with Zoe

Last Saturday I was joined by Chinese Visual Festival Director James Mudge and Art Curator Xuhua Zhan.  We spoke about the upciming Chinese Visual Festival (held at Kings College London and the BFI).
There are some fascinating films showing this year, including The Naked DJ (Singapore), 0.7% Salt (China), The Last Moose of Aoluguya (China) and Meeting Dr. Sun (Taiwan) .  For the full programme see:
http://chinesevisualfestival.org/

Listen to the show here: https://www.mixcloud.com/Resonance/lucky-cat-18th-april-2015/

Playlist:
Jaan Pehehan Ho - Mohd. Rafi (Ghost World sound track)
Picnic in Spring - Lui Hung (from the LP Chinese Folk Songs pictured above)
Jing Me De Hu Po (Lies) - AM444
Good Morning - from the Best Chinese Folk Songs LP (helf by James in the pic above).

Thanks to Xuhua and James for joining me.  To follow the festival on Twitter go to: @CVF_London

To follow me on Twitter go to: @luckycatzoe


 

China Visual Festival Guests on Today's Lucky Cat

For today's show I will be joined by CVF Director James Mudge and Art Curator Xuha Zhan.
We will discuss the upcoming China Visual Festival and the films showing this year; documentaries, features and experimental and art video from mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore.

This year's line up has several strands / themes including comedy, transition into post-modernity and LGBT queer cinema.

For more information and to book tickets for the Festival go to: 
http://chinesevisualfestival.org

Lucky Cat Series 10 Episodes 1 & 2 on Mixcloud

Resonance FM have their own Mixcloud channel now and all episodes of Series 10 of Lucky Cat can be found there...

Bookmark my playlist page: https://www.mixcloud.com/Resonance/playlists/lucky-cat/

Episode 1:

https://www.mixcloud.com/Resonance/lucky-cat-21st-march-2015/

Sven Swords OST - Track from the soundtrack of the Tsui Hark movie Seven Swords

Cantonese Opera Song - 7" of Cantonese opera from Hong Kong

The Click Song - Miriam Makeba (London 7")

Secretly - Hortense Ellis (Studio One 7")

Rouge No Dengon - Yumi Matsutoya (OST Kik's Delivery Service)

Roob Lor Pu Ta (Rootikal remix) - Paradise Bangkok Molam International Band

Pigmeat on the Line - Memphis Minnie (from the CD Barbecue Any Old Time)

Nashville Woman Blues - Bessie Smith (Phillips 7" EP)

Jim Dandy - Lavern Baker (Atlantic 7")

In this episode I talk about the wonderful article on film star and Blues singer Olive Young written by David Wells for The Chiseler.  Read it here:
http://chiseler.org/post/76882863538/olive-youngs-great-depression-blues

Episode 2:

https://www.mixcloud.com/Resonance/lucky-cat-28th-march-2015/

Radio - Crying Nut (Korean punk band)

Yangon Calling - Burmese punks (from the movie of same name)

Chinaman Ska - The Dualers (Prince Buster Shakedown CD)

Silhouettes - Winston Wright 7"

Silhouettes  - The Ronettes (Little Eva and Her Girlfriends CD)

Polonaise - Shigeru Umebayashi - (2046 OST CD)

a track by Woo Ing Ing (The Nasal Queen)

Lonely Heart - Rita Chao and The Quests

a track by Woo Ing Ing (The Nasal Queen)

Shank I Shek - Tristan Palmer (Shank I Shek Vol 1 TADS Label LP)

Shanghai kids sing nursery rhymes (Sounds of Shanghai CD)

Feel So Fine - Derrick and Patsy (Bluebeat 7")

The Sheep / Ram / Goat / Spring Mix

Today's Lucky Cat is a sizzling bbq style mix of East Asian music, Reggae, Blues, Soundtracks and Lounge to celebrate the current Year of the Sheep / Goat and the arrival of Spring.

Tracks include:

Ram Goat Liver - Pluto Shervington

Nanny Goat - Larry Marshall

Skinhead Train - Laurel Aitken

Mary Had a Little Lamb - Sterling Holloway

The Four Seasons - Josephine Siao Fong Fong

Farmer's Song - Arrirang Korean Dance and Song Ensemble

Spring in Fairyland - Ivy Ling Po (pictured)

Full track listing up soon... Enjoy!

Lucky Cat is back on air for series 10 this Saturday!

Hello Hello Hello!  Happy Year of the Ram / Sheep / Goat!

I'm back on air this Saturday for the tenth (gulp) series of Lucky Cat! 
Tune you dials to 104.4FM or browser to www.resonancefm.com at 3.30pm for a heady mix of East Asian music, Reggae and Rhythm n Blues seasoned with East Asian movie news and culture info.

The marvellous illustration for series 10 is courtesy of the wonderful Fresh Brewed Illustration.

圣诞快乐 Merry Christmas! Podcast & Playlist for Lucky Cat S9 E7

Seasons Greetings everyone! Here is the last episode of Series 9 of Lucky Cat. Broadcast on Resonance FM on Sat 20th December 2014. I still have 2 more episodes to post from this season but thought I'd better post this one while it was still seasonally relevant!

• Merry Christmas from Beverleys - Alton Ellis and the Beverleys All Stars
• Hong Kong Christmas Carols - 45 bought in HK (pictured)
• White Christmas - Betty Chung
• Jingle Bells - Betty Chung, Mona Fong, Tsin Ting
• Jingle Bells - The Bunnies
• Let's Make Christmas Merry Baby - Amos Milburn
• He's the Man With All the Toys - The Beach Boys
• Would you Believe It, I Have A Cold - Huey Smith
• Lucy and Linus - Vincent Guaraldi Trio
• Sleigh Ride - Ella Fitzgerald
• 2 tracks from the Calendar Girl OST
• Just Be Good - Horace Andy
• 2 Anita Mui Yim Fong tracks

Today's Show - The Lucky Cat Jukebox GOLD selection!

Ni hao. On today's show I'll be playing some tracks from the Lucky Cat GOLD selection .... Earlier this year I was asked to curate 30 tracks for the Duck and Rice jukebox. The Duck and Rice is a new Chinese gastro pub opening in Soho (previously The Endurance pub). This is an Alan Yau project (Hakkasan, Yautacha etc) and promises to be amazing! Downstairs will be for drinking and bar snacking and upstairs will be fine dining. I was so excited and honoured to be asked to be a part of this wonderful project. Hope to see you at the bar or by the jukebox in 2014! Ganbei! More news as I get it.... 

Tune in to 104.4FM or via the player at resonancefm.com at 3.30pm today (UK time).  Thanks for listening.

Track listing for today's show, which is sample of the jukebox tracks + 2 brilliant Japanese surf guitar numbers:

• Taiyo Yaro - The Bunnys
• Let's Go Shake - The Bunnys
• Why Should I Remember - Poon Sow Keng
• Couple and Pairs - Unknown Chinese Singer
• Bramble Bush - Rita and Sakura
• Theme from King of Chinatown - Hong Kong in the 60's
• Wrap You Up - Long Shen Dao
• I Love Boh Boh Cha Cha - The Stylers
• Season of Wind - Anita Mui Yim Fong (the Sour Beauty RIP, pictured above)
• Broke - The Marshmallow Kisses
• One Day You'll Know - Cha Cha and Ranking Joe
• Always Together - Stephen Cheng
• Sixteen Tons - Chang Loo
• 神经末梢 (Shen Jing Mo Shao) - AM444
• Seemingly and Old Friend Comes - Anita Mui Yim Fong (from the movie Rouge
• Where Have All the Flowers Gone? - Poon Sow Keng

LC S9E2 Nov 2014 - Chiang Kai Shek & Chinese Jamaican Reggae History

Kap Thum Laoy - track 20 CD 1, from Laos (from the CD Longing for the Past)

Shank I Sheck - Baba Brooks (King Edwards label 7" available to buy here)

Wa Do Dem - Eek A Mouse (7" Volcano Label)

Show it Off - Beres Hammond (VP triple LP)

All Nation Have to Bow - Ranking Devon

Ku Oonoh - Reggie Stepper (from the LP Three the Hard Way). This is on the Stalag rhythm.

9.58 - Shuga (Penthouse 7"). This is on the 9.58 rhythm. The rhythm was created to celebrate Ussain Bolt running the 100 metre race in just 9.58 seconds at the Beijing Olympics.

Check out this amazing newsreel of Madam Chiang Kai Shek addressing the US House Of Respresentatives: http://www.britishpathe.com/video/mme-chiang-kai-shek-in-u-s-a/query/chiang+kai+shek

Lucky Cat S9E1 Nov 2014 - Podcast

Track 1 (from the CD box set Longing for the Past on the Dust to Digital label)

Strange Things - John Holt (Sun Shot label 7")

Do You Love Me - John Holt (Bamboo label 7")

Stick By Me - John Holt (Jackpot label 7")

神仙药 (Shen Xian Yao)

 - AM444 (from the CD album Eye Wonder)

Orphans - Dalida (Barclay label 7" EP)

Kentucky Home - The Vic Brown Combo (Rio label 7")

Don't Stay Out Late - Lord Creator (Randy's label 7" reissue)

RIP John Holt, Reggae Legend

Lucky Cat Series 9 Starts Sat 8th Nov

I am delighted to announce that Lucky Cat returns to the airwaves for its 9th series next Saturday 8th November at 3.30pm.  Tune in via 104.4FM in London or via www.resonancefm.com anywhere.  The series will run for 7 weeks.

Treats in store for this series include:

• Chinese Reggae - how did a Chinese generalissimo become the moniker of a Reggae rhythm?
• New music from China
• East Asian movie news and reviews
• The History of Manga
• Vietnamese street food and other culinary delights
• Music galore - oldies from Indonesia, John Holt tribute, Chinese Christmas songs, 60's Japanese girl groups and more.....

I'm on Twitter now so if you want to Tweet during the show or just anytime really I'm here: @luckycatzoe

https://twitter.com/luckycatzoe

 

Occupy Hong Kong Protest Art

Amazing video.  Thanks for the heads-up 
http://rachelmarsdenwords.wordpress.com/

Post by Revolution News.

Lucky Cat Supper Club Photos

I am pleased to say that last Friday's first ever Lucky Cat Supper Club was a belt busting success!  The food was appreciated and everyone had a wonderful evening.  I played a mixture of vinyl to create an ambience; Poon Sow Keng, Nat King Cole, Desmond Dekker, Josephine Siao Fong Fong, Fats Domino and Patsy Cline.

Here are some photos of the night:

My husband assembling the Vietnamese chicken soups 

Teapots to serve the chicken broth - diners pour the broth into their own bowls

Part of the trio of starters - prawn lettuce wraps

Chicken soup bowls ready for the broth

Char siu pork with fresh mint garnish. Mmmmm.

Pudding: Pandan coconut (kaya) pots with fresh fruit salad

Lucky Cat Supper Club

My husband and I are hosting a Lucky Cat Supper Club at the lovely Windy Corner Stores cafe in Whitstable, Kent.  There are only a few places left if you want to book! 

My husband is a talented chef and we designed the menu together.  I will be helping in the kitchen and then playing records and serving the delicious food for guests. We hope this will be the first of many Lucky Cat Supper Clubs!

Ganbei!

Lazy Prawn & Butternut Squash Curry

I couldn't be bothered to make a curry paste so I knocked up this lazy curry last night.  It was pretty good and I was impressed with the tamarind stock cubes which were a new find in my local Thai emporium.

Ingredients:

• 2 handfuls of king prawns
• Half a butternut squash, chopped into 1inch wedges/squares
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1.5 teaspoons of tumeric powder
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 dried chilli (I used facing heaven chilli)
• 1 teaspoon shrimp paste
• 1 tamarind stock cube dissolved in 400ml boiling water
• 1 can coconut milk
• Fish sauce to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• Top up with water if nec (i.e. sauce becoming too thick)
• Ground nut oil for frying
• Chopped spring onion for garnish

Method:

Heat the oil in a large wok, add the onions, turn down heat and let them soften.  Whilst softening sprinkle in turmeric powder and add chilli and cinnamon stick.  Then after some minutes stir in the shrimp paste and the garlic.  Careful, don't burn it!  Pour in coconut milk.  Keep the can so you can use it to top up with water later if needed.  Add in the tamarind stock.
Bring to the boil and add butternut squash.  Cook for 20 mins on a simmer.  Add fish sauce and some black pepper.
Chop a spring onion for the garnish while you are waiting.
Add prawns and cook for further 5mins (longer if raw).

Serve on rice or quinoa in a bowl and garnish with spring onion.  Extra chilli dip on side if you like.

DJing @ Dislocating Asia Thursday 2nd October

The Camden Migration Festival 26th September - 6th October 2014

I'm pleased to announce that I will be DJing at the event Dislocating Asia on Thursday 2nd October at the Forge in Camden.  This is part of the Camden Migration Festival which explores the migration of birds and people through the arts, celebrating cultural expansion.  

The event has been organised by senior lecturer in Sociology at the University of Winchester; Diana Yeh.  

• Diana will be presenting her new book The Happy Hsiungs: Performing China and the Struggle for Modernity.  The book recovers the histories of two married Chinese writers who lived and worked in Britain from the 1930s onwards: Shih-I Hsiung and his wife Dymia Hsiung. 

• Actors Daniel York and Jennifer Lim will read excerpts from Lady Precious Stream, the play that shot Shih-I Hsiung to worldwide fame. 

• Orwell Prize shortlisted blogger Anna Chen reads from her ‘brilliant and dangerous’ poetry collection, Reaching for my Gnu (Aaaargh! Press), and tries out some new poems. 

Live music from:

• Semi-acoustic Hapa trio Wondermare 
• British Chinese musician/composer Liz Chi Yen Liew (her latest album is  Snapshots), with Dennis Lee on the xiao (flute) and guzheng (zither).

• My DJ set of Chinese golden oldies and fresh new sounds from Shanghai and Beijing.

Tickets are available now from:

https://uk.patronbase.com/_Forge/Productions/EY/Performances

Hope to see you at this fantastic event!

Some Summer Movies

I've made it to the BFI to see a couple of films in their season of Chinese cinema.  Sadly time, money and distance mean I haven't been able to see more.  However I was pleased to see that Fei Mu's 1948 film Spring in a Small Town is available to rent via the BFI Player and I hope to get to that soon.

Films Watched @BFI:

Drunken Master 1978 Dir. Yuen Wo Ping, starring Jackie Chan and Hiu Siu Tien
Shame it was dubbed and we were only notified of this on the day.  Still, great to see on the big screen.  I'll never tire of that film, I must have watched it 20 times at least.  Best training scenes.  Stone cold classic.

Nice PJs Fong Fong

The Spooky Bunch 1980 Dir. Ann Hui, starring Josephine Siao Fong Fong and Kenny Bee
A Fong Fong movie on the big screen?!  How could I resist?!  Great, strange little film with a docu-feel that ticks Hong Kong nostalgia box and ghostbusting with a gourd box.  YES!  Phantom laugher in the cinema again.  Why is the mere mention of congee funny?
See www.easternkicks.com/reviews/the-spooky-bunch
Not to be confused with Sammo Hung's Encounters of the Spooky Kind, also 1980.

Other notable films:
The Yellow Sea (watched on Mubi.com).  Korean film from Director of The Chaser Hong Jin-Na.  Brutal artery slashing fun.  Badass.

Must see soon: The Raid 2

Can't wait for: Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon 2 with Donnie and Michelle directed by Yuen Wo Ping. Waiting for the wuxia....

Will I ever get to see on the big screen?: Wong Kar Wai's The Grand Master.  Tony 'He's so fine doo lang doo lang' Leung as Ip Man.