A blog about my experience growing up with both Taiwanese and African heritage, and my love for classic Chinese music,arts and culture.

Friday, March 28, 2008

A new Teresa Teng fan??.........

I think i may have made my daughter a big Teresa Teng fan too, the baby will not sleep unless i play miss Teng hit song Tian mi mi 甜 蜜 蜜 or sweet honey. i hope like both her father, and grandfather before her she can learn to appreciate great music from great singers before her time.




My friends sometimes laugh and think i am crazy and too old fasion because i listen to Miss Teng, and not Jay Chou, or some of the younger singers of our generations. don't get me wrong, i love Jay Chou and some of these younger artist of our time, but i love classic chinese music, and would pick Teresa Teng over Jay Chou anyday.

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Classic Teresa Teng song perform by three divas....

Here are a couple of videos of a classic Teresa Teng song called 你怎麼說 or what do you have to say.. this song has always been one of my favorite Teresa Teng song so when i came across some videos of different singers randitions of the song i had to post it.

The first video is the legendary Teresa Teng herself singing her hit song 你怎麼說



Now here is Timi Zhou performing the same the song.



And finally here is Jane Zhang 張靚穎 randition of the song.



While it is true there will never be another voice like the great Teresa Teng, we will continue to like any singer who do justice to any of her songs, and Jane and Timi prove they are diva in their own right.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Those good old days.....

Old picture of us in Liberia in 1982, my dad is the first on the right, i am the kid with the red or orange shirt and short black pants, with my uncle holding me, my brother is behind the bike, and my cousin mei mei is infront the bike.

Today i was listening to the legendary Teresa Teng singing her hit song good bye my love 鄧麗君~~再見我的愛人, and i could not help but think about my dad. the guy is just a big,big Teresa Teng fan, but hey who can blame him, with such lovely voice like that, she was truly one in a million.

Here is the video of Teresa Teng singing her hit song, good bye my love.






My father had come to Africa in the early 70s as a young man fresh out of the Taiwanese army looking for adventures, he met my mom and a year later i was born. i remember as a kid growing up in the Liberia, there was always something going on in our house, there was a huge and active Chinese community in Liberia, from both the mainland, and Taiwan, and every week, these folks will all come to our house to eat and play marjong. it was always loud and the air was always it seems fill with cigarette smoke, but those were good times, we kids had a lot of fun, while the older folks play and gamble.

Saturday, March 8, 2008

The Heavenly Music of the Erhu......


The Erhu

Of all the traditional chinese musical instrument, the Erhu is my favourite musical instrument. The erhu sometimes referred to as the Chinese violin, one of China's most legendary string instruments. It is a bowed musical instrument with two strings.

Yu Hong-Mei

The greatest and my favorites of all the erhu players is Yu Hong-mei. A celebrated soloist with the Chinese National Traditional Orchestra. Yu is the first erhuist to receive the coveted Pro Musicis International Award, and has since performed to great acclaim at such venues as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and The Kennedy Center.




Ma Xiao Hui

And my other favorite is Ma Xiao Hui one of China’s few first-class traditional artists, who at the tender age of six began playing the erhu. Her virtuosity blends classical beauty and contemporary originality by integrating different schools. Ma Xiaohui has been bestowed many recognitions and awards. The KennedyCenter regarded her 1999 appearance among the Center’s finest Ten Concerts of the Year. The BritishCambridgeCenter and American Biography Institute also regarded her as one of the “Great People of 21st Century,” as “International Culture Envoy” and as an “International Great Woman.” In China, she received the Top Prize for the National Guangdong Music Competition (Gaohu Section) in 1987, the local Baosteel Classic Arts Award in 1994 and 1999, and the Top Prize for the 1st Shanghai Spring International Music Festival in 2001.


Here are two videos of these two beautiful and talented women performing.

The first video is a performence by Yu Hong-Mei called spring of the south river.




And here is Ma-Xiao Hui performing A little town at the Southern side of River Yanja.





Nothing is more satisfying than listening to the erhu been play,Beautiful, just, beautiful.
Enjoy folks.

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Spotlight on Paula Tsui 徐小鳳 Hong Kong's nightingale....

paula Tsui is a Legendary Hong Kong female pop singer known for her unique deep musical voice and trademark polka dot dress. She first appeared on Hong Kong pop music scene in 1966 after winning a local singing contest. Her career flourished during the 1970s and 1980s with hit songs that continue to be all-time Cantopop favourites today. After Almost 30 years since she first entered show business, The veteran Hong Kong diva vocals remain as immaculate as ever, and would put many of today’s artistes to shame.Tsui was married to controversial Hong Kong radio host and legislator Albert Cheng between 1975 and 1979. The marriage was then a secret and not known to the public until the early 1990s.

Here are some of my personal favorite from her...

徐小鳳 順流逆流





And i love her randition of this classic chinese song 天涯歌女 or the wondering songtress...





Paula’s 40 years of dedication to music has earned her eternal respect and admiration from her fans of all ages. she was born on january 1st 1948 in Hubei, China.