Shanghai Pics
 
Up next, Guangzhou, then Tibet... Patience...
 
 
Curious onlookers in hardhats unsure of what to make of the pair of banjos inside the X2 Creative Space in Shanghai. This was midway through an event dubbed, by our hosts, Life Weekly (生活周刊, the weekly glossy inserted in the Shanghai Youth Daily), Deep Impact (碰撞) -- yes, it was, in fact, in tribute to the film of the same name. The idea being that cultures clashing would produce, to paraphrase the organisers, common language, mutual understanding, inspiration for musical creation and friendship between musicians. Not so much about how a comet would destroy the Earth. The American Consulate gets big ups for getting behind the event. Here’s what happened when a band introduced to us as The Three Boys Band (modeled on the Twelve Girls Band) brought their pipa, erhu and dizi together with the Sparrow Quartet’s banjos, fiddle and cello (a full report is available, in 中文 at this site), at what was dubbed a “Sino-American Folk Music Saloon”:
Prior to the session, and in preparation for the cover story on Abigail, the Quartet and Deep Impact, Life Weekly put together a photo shoot and clothed Ms Abigail in the finest threads Martini had to offer. The result was a great cover pic of Abby, and a few fun shots for me, witness to the early-morning madness that was the shoot.
Two great club shows also; JZ and Cotton Club (below, the gathered crowd). And a quick visit to the Conservatory to show a dozen jazz kids how it’s done American folk style. You couldn’t pry the fiddle from Casey’s hands, here on our way home from the JZ gig and the fun thereafter.