Saturday 3rd October - 2 DJ gigs

I have been asked to DJ for at two club nights on Saturday 3rd October:

1) Chinese Night @ The Raindance Film Festival Cafe (underneath the record shop Phonica, 51 Poland St Soho). I will be playing from 7 till 8pm, warming up for Chinese electro band New Pants (fronted by the director of The Panda Candy Peng Lei). You may remember that I played the track Golden Idol by New Pants on my Resonance FM show. Hear more New Pants: myspace.com/beijingnewpants
Peng Lei is also an artist ans toy shop owner, there's an interesting interview with him at Wallpaper magazine.

2) Vinyl Pleasures at The Foundry (86 Great Eastern Street, near Old St). I'm on 9-10pm playing a selection of vintage vinyl. It's a pub do so music finishes at 11. There will be a camera set up on the decks and screens aroudn the place so you can see the discs spinning as I play them.

Both events are FREE.

Happy 25th Birthday On The Wire

Tomorrow night (Sat 19th Sept) the ground breaking radio show On the Wire celebrates a quarter of a century on the air. The BBC Lancashire show was started by music journalist Steve Barker 25 years ago and always has a fresh and interesting playlist that includes plenty of Reggae (Steve has been the dub columnist for The Wire magazine for the past decade) and in recent years contemporary Chinese sounds, with Steve being based in Beijing. Tomorrow night the show will be extra special and extra long to fit in all the fabulous birthday celebration treats for your little ears. Here are just a few of the people providing mixes:

• Mick Sleeper from Toronto, controller of the net-based show Radio Scratch, exclusively featuring the work of the legendary Lee "Scratch" Perry both as artist and producer.

• Pete Holdsworth from the world's premier reggae revival label Pressure Sounds based in the UK and Japan.

• Alan Bishop from the Seattle based label Sublime Frequencies

• Steinski aka Steve Stein and his pal Doug DiFranco (aka Double Dee) were hip-hop producers who achieved notoriety in the early 1980s for a series of underground hip-hop sample-based collages known as the Lessons.

• Beijing-based Yan Jun, works in the realm of sound and language manipulating feedback, drones, voice and field recordings for site-specific sound installations, improvisations and environmental sound. He founded the Sub Jam and its sub-label KwanYin Records.

So tune in online at http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/lancashire/hi/
or if you live in Lancashire on the FM dial
Saturday 19th Spetember 10pm - 2am Sunday.
Check the OTW Blog for previous shows and info.

Raindance Indie Film Festival, London

The 17th Raindance Film Festival kicks off on 30th September and runs until 11th October. Raindance celebrates independent cinema from around the globe and there are some interesting East Asian films being show. Jasper Sharp is curating the festival, you may remember he was on my radio show when Anna Chen hosted, discussing Anna May Wong. He actually specialises in Japanese cinema and is co-editor of web site Midnight Eye and the author of the recently published Behind the Pink Curtain – The Complete History of Japanese Sex Cinema.

For a full list of the Japanese films showing at this year's festival take a look at Jasper's site. This year there is a special focus on women directors, Sachi Hamano will be in attendance (Japan's most prolific female director who has worked mostly in the genre of the erotic pink film). She will be presenting her 2001 non-pink title Lily Festival, a comedy drama in which the inhabitants of a residential home for elderly women find their passions rekindled when the first male resident moves in amongst them.

Other titles to look out for in the Japanese section are:

Miki Satoshi’s comedy Instant Swamp (he directed the very funny Turtles Are Surprisingly Fast Swimmers).

and

Lalapipo which was written by Tetsuya Nakashima (the brilliant director of Kamikaze Girls and Memories of Matsuko) and directed by Masayuki Miyano (his first film). The story is set in the heart of Japan’s outlandish sex industry.




With regards to Chinese films showing in the festival, The Pandy Candy is showing on Saturday 3rd October. The film was banned in China (it depicts a gay relationship between two young women) and is directed by musician Peng Lei of the electro band New Pants.

As a vinyl junkie I'll also be checking out the documentary I Want That Record!, which examines why over 3,000 independent record stores have closed across the U.S. in the past decade (boo).

For more details and to book tickets (the box office is now open) visit:
www.raindance.co.uk

2009 Japan Matsuri

This Festival celebrating Japanese culture is on Saturday 17th September at Spitalfields Market in East London (10am-8pm).
Expect food stalls, art and entertainment - including a Bon dance (pictured).

For all the up to date information check the web site:

http://japanmatsuri.com

Piccadilly Revisited

This is a free performance on Saturday 12th September (as part of the Thames Festival) at the East-facing facade of Royal Festival Hall, 8.15pm - 10.00pm.
The classic E.A. Dupont silent film Piccadilly starring Anna May Wong will be screened, accompanied by a new score from composers Suki Mok and Ruth Chan. The score is based on a storyboard developed by co-writers Alice Lee and David Tse Ka-Shing.

The performance is presented by Chinatown Arts Space and you may remember Suki Mok from the project in 2008 at the Royal Opera House with Beijing rappers Dragon Tongue Squad.
Ruth Chan is a London based pianist and film composer with an interest in ethnic fusion music.

David Tse Ka-Shing is the Creative Director at Chinatown Arts Space and has done a lot of good work in both encouraging and producing British East Asian arts. He has many fiddles to his bow, being an actor, writer, theatre director and film-maker.

I recognised Alice Lee's name because last year she wrote and produced Dragon Lady: Being Anna May Wong which she performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

This is a work-in-progress and next year the cross-artform production will be completed completed next year; incorporating dance, drama and video against a backdrop of the original silent film.

I look forward to the screening and to seeing the completed work next year. Piccadilly is a wonderful film to watch and raises many questions about race and sexuality. Anna May Wong seems to be back in vogue in 2009, long may this trend continue.

Etta James - Something Got A Hold On Me

Etta James - Something Got A Hold On Me
Uploaded by soulpatrol. - Watch more music videos, in HD!

Coronation Street Dub

I remember hearing this Reggae take on the theme to Britain's oldest TV soap Coronation Street a few years back. I liked it's cheesy novelty value back then and I still do now - I picked it up in a charity shop yesterday, result! Now to find Smiley Culture singing about Pat and Frank and of Eastenders and my life will be complete...Well, as chance would have it I spotted a Mike Reid Sings CD in another charity shop today, but I let that one go. Someone else can enjoy that gem.
Watch/hear the Corrie 45 by the I-Royals here:

Gamelan A Go Go

Multiple Gamelan albums played simultaneously on Benedict Drew's Unter Radio, broadcast on Resonance FM. Listen again here:
www.benedictdrew.com/unterradio5.html
It made me feel as if I was in a Jakarta based gangster film noir escaping the CIA and local mafia whilst sweating profusely and trying to escape the helicopter following me (or was that my Arak fuelled Gamelan induced paranoia kicking in?).

Anna Chen - Anna May Wong Must Die!

Anna Chen now has a web site for her illustrated lecture on the life of film star Anna May Wong.

www.annachen.co.uk/amw.html

Anna's tribute to the first Chinese American movie star takes the audience on a personalised journey of Anna May Wong's life and films. Her passion for the subject is clear and Anna reveals the impact of Anna May Wong's star presence on her own life. Many people know the images of this stunningly beautiful actress but nothing about her life story, here Anna Chen makes sure that her story is heard.

Photo above (of Anna Chen in homage to Anna May Wong pose) copyright Sukey Parnell 2004.

1963 Shaw Brothers Calendar part 2

Let's go back again to Hong Kong in 1963 when the Shaw Brother's leading ladies were glamour personified.

July - Margaret Tu Chuan
Bardot-esque pose from the beautiful star of Madam White Snake.


August - Ivy Ling Po
Co-star to Loh Ti in The Love Eterne, the Huangmei Opera singer is hugely popular and is still performing in concert today. In 2007 Ling Po led the celebrations for Shaw Brothers founder Sir Run Run Shaw's 100th Birthday. A good article on Ling Po can be found at the Action Queens blog.


September - Fanny Fan
Another hairspray tastic hairdo from the Hong King sex kitten. Stills from the movie Angel with the Iron Fists in which she starred with Lily Ho can be found here. Over at the blog Soft Film they are big Fanny Fan fans!



October - Yi Kuang
As with Julie Shih Yen from part 1 of the calendar, I confess that I know absolutely nothing about this actress. Please help if you can, thanks.


Novmember - Li Hsiang Chun
Another actress from the 1963 Shaw Brothers smash The Love Eterne.


December - Diana Chang Chung Wen
This pose reminds me of a 1950's Joan Collins glamour photo. Strange cardigan choice though. Diana Chang Chung Wen can be seen in the Shaw Brothers 1966 adaptation of the classic novel Journey to the West titled The Monkey Goes West.


Well, that's all folks. Check out Magicpoe's Channel on YouTube for some excellent 1970's documentaries on Shaw Brothers.

Support Investment in Community Radio

If you are a UK citizen who believes in community radio then please sign this online petition. There are many great community stations accross the UK who deliver original and diverse programming run by volunteers, including Resonance FM.

Lend your support to a campaign for greater public investment in community radio. Last month a letter signed by 82 community radio leaders, media scholars and experts was sent to the Prime Minister in which the case for higher public investment in community radio was made. It argued for an increase in the Community Radio Fund's budget (to view the letter, go to:
www.sheffieldlive.org/2009/07/open-letter-to-gordon-brown/). Pursuant to this action a petition was launched in support of this cause.

Show your support for greater investment in the Community Radio Fund by signing the following petition:
petitions.number10.gov.uk/allthevoices/

The Fund was initially set up in 2004 with a budget of £500,000 for 14 community radio broadcasters. However, since then community radio in Britain has blossomed while the budget has stagnated. £500,000 must now provide for over 200 broadcast licensees.

This matters because community radio provides a broadcasting platform to voices that would otherwise be overlooked by media outlets. Resonance FM is a paradigm of this model with regular shows for community interest groups. Furthermore, the community radio industry has created over 400 jobs, involving over 10,000 volunteers and serves a potential audience of over 10 million people. This is a social service for diverse groups across the entire country.

For a full list of UK community radio stations see Ofcom's list:
ofcom.org.uk/static/radiolicensing/Community/community-main.html

1963 Shaw Brothers Calendar part 1

I have been inspired by the truly magnificent blog Soft Film: Vintage Chinese Cinema to scan in my 1963 Shaw Brothers calendar for your viewing pleasure. I've split the calendar into two parts so you'll have to wait for July-December in my next post.
1963 was the year that The Love Eterne (The Butterfly Lovers) was made by Shaw and 3 of its stars appear in this calendar, though very much in modern attire and not in the period opera-style costume as in the movie. In these pictures the hair styles are big, the eye liner is heavy and the eyebrows are exquisitely plucked! Enjoy.

January - Lin Dai
Slightly weird eyebrows but love the rose motif. Lin Dai starred in many films, (listed here)but tragically committed suicide a year after this calendar came out in 1964.


February - Ting Ning
Aka Grace Ding Ning, had small role in Love Eterne


March - Ting Hung
My personal favourite, amazing beehive style hairdo. Known as Pat to her friends, she can be seen in the 1962 Shaw film adaptation of another classic Chinese tale The Dream of the Red Chamber.


April - Betty Loh Ti
Star of Love Eterne and award winning Shaw actress. Beautiful and yet tragically unhappy in her life. In 1968 Loh Ti also took her own life.


May - Shih Yen
I cannot find any information on this actress, perhaps she only starred in one or two films, please let me know if you have any info.


June - Yeh Feng
The Kim Novak of the East. (Wonder if she knew Sammy Davis Jr too?)

Waiting for Ghibli

Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, the latest film from director Hiyao Miyazaki at Studio Ghibli (Spirited Away, My Neighbour Totoro, Princess Mononoke) is out in the US this summer, courtesy of Disney. I've been looking around the net for the UK release date and am disappointed to see reports that it will not be until early 2010. Why do we always have to wait so long for East Asian movies to get a theatrical release here? By the time they've come out most people have got sick of waiting and found an online copy or ordered the DVD from an overseas source. I've watched Totoro many times with my daughter and I want Ponyo to be the first film she sees at the cinema so I'm going to have to wait. In the meantime here is the Japanese trailer (above).

Ponyo Disneyfied trailer here
Ghibli Ponyo site

Questing Bandstand Site

I've been meaning to post about this excellent site for a while and then today I was browsing through and saw the lovely face of Siao Fong Fong.
Questing Bandstand is a wonderful resource for lovers of 1960's East Asian music.
Here is the Siao Fong Fong link where you can listen to her song Mama Hao (Good Mum or Mum is the Best).

Michelle Yeoh

Michelle's birthday is coming up soon (6th August), Many Happy Returns to my favourite living actress. Remember Michelle's fabulous film Wing Chun featuring the classic fight scene around a block of tofu ("if her beauty doesn't floor you then her drop kick will")? Well, I am happy to report that Michelle is working with the film's director Yuen Wo Ping once more - hurray! Yuen Wo Ping has directed some of the best martial arts films ever made (Drunken Master, Iron Monkey etc) as well as in recent years being action director on many Hollywood films (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, The Matrix series). Now Wo Ping is directing a stellar cast (incl. pop prince Jay Chou, the late David Carradine and grand sifu supreme Gordon Liu) in True Legend. I can't wait!

Cast list, photos and news here: http://michelleyeoh.info/Movie/truelegend.html

Xinjiang

I heard on the radio today (BBC World Service) about the outbreak of violence in the Chinese province of Xinjiang. The artist Mamer, who I interviewed for my Chinagrass podcast heralds from Xinjiang. As you will see from my earlier post it is an area which borders many countries and is as rich in culture as it is in oil. It seems that the region has been troubled with alleged Han culture dominance for some years. The majority of people who live there are not Mandarin speaking Han Chinese and I think that the demonstrations started because of an unfair bias in the workplace towards Han Chinese. Information is sketchy and it is hard to know what really goes on there. The Chinese government are currently saying that 156 people have been killed in the riots. At the moment it has been noted by Western reporters that internet access in the region has been cut off.
I hope that this is not going to be another oil rich region where people suffer due to greed and lack of tolerance.
My thoughts are with the families who have lost their loved ones.
You can follow the events through several news agencies:
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009-07/07/content_8384925.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8135203.stm
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/

Lucky Cat Mix 2009 - Typhoon

Lucky Cat Mix 2009

Lucky Cat

A recent mix of music I put together for a CD to be played at Typhoon, Yellow Earth Theatre's play reading festival.
Track listing:
1.'Drinking Song' - Hanggai ('Introducing Hanggai' CD)
2.'Kargashai' - Mamer ('Eagle' CD)
3.'Rain in London' - Michio Miyagi ('Masterpieces in Koto' LP)
4. 'The Love Eterne' (aka 'The Butterfly Lovers' opera) soundtrack extract - Betty Loh Ti & Ivy ling Po
5.'Kiss of Spring' - Yao Lee ('Miss Yao Lee' vinyl LP)
6.'Daegeum Solo (Peaceful Times)' - Kim Seong-jin (Victrola Fvourites CD)
7.'Aaj Ki Raat' - Mhd. Rafi ('An Evening with Mohd. Rafi' vinyl LP)
8.'Dragons Play With Pearl' - track from 'Cantonese Mental Music' vinyl LP
9.'Shaolin Temple' - Barrington Levy ('Reggae Meets martial Arts' Trojan CD)
10.Vietnamese track from 'Hot Women Singers from the Torrid Regions' CD)
11.'Musical War' - Roy Shirley ('Roy Shirley: Legend' CD)
12.'Voice of Spring' - Deng Bai Ying
13.'I Love Boh Boh Cha Cha' - The Stylers (vinyl 45 EP)
14.'Sixteen Tons' - Chang Loo
15.'Sukiyaki' - Kong Ling & The Fabulous Echoes (LP of Hits Vol 2)

Bodyguards & Assassins Poster - Eric Tsang

Excellent moustache.

Bodyguards & Assassins

This looks great! Can't wait...

Grace Chang - Costume Party