B wxkkkk Spirit of Vietnam (Hun Vict) ~ Khac Chi Ensemble (1999 Jericho Beach Music JBM9902) John Goodman This Week Editor Jjobnug@nsnews.com FOR their performances of Vietnamese music the Vancouver-based Khae Chi Ensembie draws from four thousand centuries of history, hundreds of musical styles and more than 50 different cultural traditions. And they make it look easy. Even though Ho Khac Chi, Hoang Ngoc Bich and Le Quang Hien perform primarily traditional material, the soitgs are far from: stiff museum exercises. They are produced by master musicians at the height of their powers pre- senting a dynamic art form to a new audi- ence. The ensemble faunched their latest CD Spirit of Vietnam last night in a special con- cert at the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden. The disc, made possible with a grant from the Canada Council for the. Arts, is a stunning display of virtuosity with the three members playing a total of 23 instru- ments between them. The selections, arranged by Chi and Bich, use traditional improvisational styles working within the structure, melodic framework and scale of each piece. Some songs combine ele- ments from two or three different cultures. Ho Khac Chi is considered the world’s premiere virtuoso on the dan bau, a one- string zither native to Vietnam, which pro- duces a distinctive high haunting. sound. In 1977 Vietriam’s Department of _ Culture singled out Chi for advanced musi- cal instruction and sent him to Tashkent, Uzbekistan for further studies. His educa- NEWS photo Sprout it couwayeleneercomieprout {eprouthe OhobnelLcom) : : ONE Against vocalist Cody at Under the Voicano. DUE RC’s top - ten tracks _ ‘Lop 10 dance picks: <1. Nome Ames: Jennifer Popez and Mare Anthony 2. Magdalena: DLG 3: One Tee Tienes: Jennifer _ Delgado ; 4. Me Envenena: Megales’ 5. Corazon Partido: . Margarita ~ 6. Jamboree: Naughty by Nature featuring Zhane - 7. Its All Acout You (Not about me): Tracie Spencer” 8. You'll Be In My Heart: Phil Collins “9. Summer Girls: LFO - (19. Te Me lis Real: K-Ci & - JoJo —— DJ Raul Cruz will be at ‘the Lava Lounge (1176 Granville St.) next Wednesday, Ang. 18 featuring . Latin muse and °80s sunes. tion includes the music of China, Korea, India and Eurape as well as fieldwork in rural Vietnam. The ensembile’s approach is specitic to their homeland yet manages to evoke univer- sas well, “When we are plaving music from the mountains some people say they can hear the Blues. But it is their music,” says Hoang Ngoc Bich. Both Chi and Bich taught music prior to their nove to Vancouver in 1992. “(After pertorming at the folk test) Chi and I decided to stay,” recalls Bich, “We both fell in love with Vancouver and found we have a fot of tree: dom.” The first Canadian musi- clan they met was Randy Raine-Reusch who produced their debut recording Moonlight in Vietuam tor Henry Street (dis- tributed by Rounder) in the spring of 1997. Spirit of Vietnam will further establish the Khac Chi Ensemble on the world stage. “We arrange the music to adapt to our new life,” says Bich, “Chi has invented some new instruments so thst we can have a richer sound.” Ho Khac Chi added a fret to the dan bau extending the range of the traditional instru- ment heard throughout the recording. He also adapted the sao ba nguoi (bamboo flute) so that three players could perform on it at once. The novelty flute is used on “The Wedding Horse,” a southern picee. “Normally when you play the giong (stamping tubes producing a low percussive sound) you strike the ground but Chi made them so we can use our feet, play other instruments with our hands and sing on the same songs,” says Bich. The Khae Chi Ensemble are scheduled to tour the eastern U.S. in October and November. Watch for more dates around Vancouver in the months to come. Everything about their new CD Spirit of Vietnam is world class. A masterwork of Friday, August 13, 1999 — North Shore News — 15 Photo ViNem KHAC Chi Ensemble members (leit to right) Hoang Ngoc Bich (with a ko ni stick fiddle) and Ho Khac Chi (with a dan bau) play 23 instruments on their new CD. musicians building on tradition through improvisational skill that is a stunning achievement from start to finish. @ xxx Mand Unplugged — Mana (1999 Warner Music Mexico 27864-2) One of Mexico’s top bands releases a greatest hits package produced in concert for MTV’s Latin American television network. Most of the songs were written by leader Fher with a few well-chosen covers from composers such as Rubén Blades and Juan Gabriel. The lyrics are all sung in Spanish Starr shines at tenth Volcano AS hard as she tried, Kinnie Starr just couid- n’t part the clouds and bring sunshine to the 10th annual Under the ‘Volcano Festival of Art and Social Change. Bur it made for an enter- taining sight as the Vancouver singer led-a freestyle jam in the festival’s Kids Zone at Cates Park last Sunday. Starr’s time on the small stage for small people was actu- ally limited, though her perfor- mance did last longer than the anticipated half-hour. She roamed the area, dancing with children and “offering the microphone to those with any- See Volcano Page B with the liner notes including English trans- lations. Lasc year Mand picked up a Grammy for - Best Latin Rock/Alternative artists and have sold more than six million records since 1986, They are the best-selling Latin rock act in history. Mani are currently touring North America but the closest they will get to Vancouver is Aug. 20 at the Gorge. This weekend’s four-night stand at Anaheim’s Arrowhead Pond is sold- -CUut. Unplnaged f° Cedi sound in val lig P Organic treatmens? sine 1935 PRICE PEST CONTROL en) PUBLIC AUCTION. CARGO CONFISCATED FOR NON-PAYMENT NEW HAND KNOTTED PERSIAN AND ORIENTAL CARPETS LARGE, MEDIUM AND. & SMALL SIZES HANDMADE OF PURE SILKS, WOOLS, CAMEL HAIR AND NATURAL FIBRE & MAJCAITY TRADITIONAL PERSIAN AND ASIAN RUGS ADDED AND j SUPPLEMENTED WITH © Jewellery. ° Diamonds e Rubies ¢ Emeralds e Saphires ¢ Rings « Pendants Persian | _ Carpets. “@ Fine Mahi Tabriz: «SikQum. — .* Isphahan © © Hunting Pattern Location: Masonic Half, 1763 Bellevue, West Vancouver Date: Time: Saturday, August 14th, 1999 Public viewing from 12 noon, Auction at i Dp. m. All items clear of liens and encumbrances. Each item property iabelled. Winners responalble for GST and PST. 15% handlitig charge to be added. Terms: Cash, visa, mc, Amex, certified cheques. All sates final.