Arts Centre Vooruit, Ghent, Belgium

Vooruit has set up a few collaborations between Chinese artists and local musicians. We’re certainly looking forward to the result! Will it be a clash of cultures or a love match?

Xiao He

20:00 Domzaal – guitar performance

The eccentric singer/guitarist Xiao He is predominantly known from his band Glorious Pharmacy, which describes itself as a “Dada-esque performance art-rock troupe”. The band only performs twice a year, but when they do, they stage a fantastic show with puppets, masks and spun-out saxophone solos. Xiao will be performing solo at Vooruit, his vocals accompanied by the guitar and a range of sound effects. He will be improvising as well as performing songs from his album, ‘Birds That Can Fly High Don’t Land on the Backs of Oxen That Can’t Run Fast’. Timeout Beijing named him one of Beijing’s coolest rock stars: “Though he takes the artiness to extreme lengths, there’s incredible musicianship involved, and his voice has a soaring clarity. A sign of his brilliance is that he’s every bit as captivating when he’s just on his own with an acoustic guitar.”

Wu Fei, Heleen Van Haegenborgh & Ann Eysermans

21:00 Domzaal – Chinese-style improvisation

Versatile composer and pianist Wu Fei is a key figure on the Chinese music scene, who helped us put together the China Express programme. She has written music for the chorus, string quartet, chamber ensembles, the Balinese gamelan (a percussion instrument), the orchestra, films and modern dance, and plays the piano and the guzheng, a Chinese zither, herself. After moving to New York, she worked with the likes of John Zorn, Fred Frith, Eric Friedlander, Trevor Dunn, Carla Kihlstedt and Cecil Taylor.

At Vooruit, she will perform with pianist Heleen van Haegenborgh (Cinéma Invisible, albums with Thomas Smetryns and Esther Venrooy) and double bass player Ann Eysermans (Champ d’Action).

Unfortunately, Jean-Yves Evrard will not be able to take part in the concert with Wu Fei.

Li Tie Qiao & Lander Gyselinck

22:00 Balzaal – sax ‘n’ drums

Music connoisseurs have labelled Li Tie Qiao “the first experimental free jazz musician in China”. The multi-instrumentalist, who traded Beijing for the Norwegian jazz scene for several years, is at his best on the saxophone, an instrument he learned to play by himself, as China does not provide contemporary music education. He pushes the instrument to its limits and conjures up the most compelling and intriguing sounds. Li Tie Qiao’s music veers between jazz, rock, electronica and noise. In Vooruit, he will be accompanied by drummer Lander Gyselinck. Gyselinck is a phenomenal drummer, and his energy is fascinating to watch. You could previously admire him at Vooruit with Kapotski, Boomfanfare and Cinéma Invisible.

Shenggy & Yan Jun

23:00 Balzaal – cosmic noise & drones

Drummer and noise artist Shenggy is one half of avant-garde duo White, which recorded an album with Blixa Bargeld in Einstürzende Neubauten’s studio. Shenggy started playing the drums in a Beijing rock band at age 15. Her father worked on the Chinese government’s space program, so she has always had her head in the clouds. It’s therefore no surprise that Shenggy’s electronic music often sounds cosmic and experimental.

Without Yan Jun, Beijing’s experimental underground scene would never have developed into the burgeoning breeding ground it is today. He earned the moniker of godfather of experimental music as a founder of the underground label Subjam, the curator of the Mini-Midi festival (part of the Midi festival, the biggest open-air festival for contemporary music in China) and as the author of several books on experimental Chinese music. He also makes his own music: throbbing sound art and minimalist improvisation with field recordings, loops, feedback and spoken word. Hypnotising and atmospheric.

Unfortunately, Köhn will not be able to take part in the concert with Shenggy. He will be replaced by Yan Jun.