Crayon = Pageshadow = Chern Hwei.
He said.....
I'm quite surprised that all of a sudden I start to get jazz gigs in KL coming back this time ---- not just any jazz gigs but gigs with some of the most prominent musicians in KL or even in Malaysia!
I still can't believe it, but I have 4 nights of jazz dates in KL on March.
So here we go:
March 2 and 3 (No Black Tie)
I'm playing with Greg Lyons' Groove Junky, doing his originals and a great deal of Hermeto Pascoal's music. This is the first engagement I get for this vacation.
March 9 and 10 (Top Room)
I'll be playing with Julian Chan's new project, Boplicity, doing some "new s***", according to him. We'll see what we're gonna do, I have a feeling this is something that people don't do much in KL... Julian, anything to add?
Oh by the way, March 11 (No Black Tie...again)
I'll be joining NBT's owner, Evelyn Hii, to play a classical programme. I'll be playing Mozart's Sonata in A Major and Kreisler's Viennese Waltzes.
Guys please feel free to come!!
Monday, February 19, 2007
What Is My Culture by Tan Sooi Beng
Cultural identity formation and national belonging in the contemporary age is complex.
Most Chinese who are born overseas no longer look to China as their homeland, and the ethnically Chinese who now live in Malaysia are no different. Malaysian Chinese who have visited southern China -- wherefrom their forefathers originated -- have reaffirmed that they are indeed different from the people there. Many have problems communicating; the Hokkien, Cantonese or Hakka dialects spoken in China differ greatly in enunciation. They might even complain that the food there is too bland, and lacks the spices found in Malaysian cuisine.
Nevertheless, the expression and maintenance of Chinese culture and identity among those in diaspora remain important. Certain traditions are selected for revival, transmitted and become emblems of identity. Contrary to popular notions of identity as something essentialist, the Chinese identity -- like all cultures in dissemination -- is not fixed, and is constantly being transformed and localised.
The visions of the Malaysian Chinese identity also varies internally: the Malaysian Chinese community is not homogeneous, and is differentiated in terms of educational background, religion and the degree of acculturation.
The musical arts is one space where Chinese of all backgrounds articulate and rework their identities. Music has always been an important medium for the younger generation to forge new cultural expressions -- and, while the majority of ethnically Chinese musicians in Malaysia continue to be inspired by sounds from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, some are aware of the need for local relevance, so as to reach out to bigger, multiethnic audiences.
Most Chinese who are born overseas no longer look to China as their homeland, and the ethnically Chinese who now live in Malaysia are no different. Malaysian Chinese who have visited southern China -- wherefrom their forefathers originated -- have reaffirmed that they are indeed different from the people there. Many have problems communicating; the Hokkien, Cantonese or Hakka dialects spoken in China differ greatly in enunciation. They might even complain that the food there is too bland, and lacks the spices found in Malaysian cuisine.
Nevertheless, the expression and maintenance of Chinese culture and identity among those in diaspora remain important. Certain traditions are selected for revival, transmitted and become emblems of identity. Contrary to popular notions of identity as something essentialist, the Chinese identity -- like all cultures in dissemination -- is not fixed, and is constantly being transformed and localised.
The visions of the Malaysian Chinese identity also varies internally: the Malaysian Chinese community is not homogeneous, and is differentiated in terms of educational background, religion and the degree of acculturation.
The musical arts is one space where Chinese of all backgrounds articulate and rework their identities. Music has always been an important medium for the younger generation to forge new cultural expressions -- and, while the majority of ethnically Chinese musicians in Malaysia continue to be inspired by sounds from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, some are aware of the need for local relevance, so as to reach out to bigger, multiethnic audiences.
Thursday, February 01, 2007
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