Leng Pleng - Live Music and DJ Gig Guide of Cambodia: Weekly Wrap - Week Commencing Thursday the 15th May 2014

Mathias Aspelin is an internationally-acclaimed jazz pianist from Finland. Tonight he is joined by Seb Adnot on double bass and Ritchy Boisson on drums at The Groove in Phnom Penh. The Mathias Aspelin Trio are performing for one night only at The Groove - arguably the city's best-sounding live music venue. Aspelin's gilt-edged musical and academic CV boasts degrees from Oxford University and The University of Southern California, as well as studies with jazz greats Alan Pasqua and Vince Mendoza. Mathias is the founder of the music development program known as Global Village Cambodia – see here for more information (and some fantastic photos). Tonight's show at The Groove promises to be a very high quality and memorable modern jazz gig.

Michelle Flemming returns to Phnom Penh on Friday for a show at Cabaret Restaurant. The leafy courtyard will provide the setting for Michelle's stunning voice and understated acoustic guitar. The 'Voice of Holland' has huge vocal power but uses it subtly and sparingly – moving smoothly from a delicate whisper to full-on soul power and back again within one brief song. Michelle's repertoire includes standards, unique interpretations of recent songs and her own mellifluous compositions.

Friday also sees the return of two evergreen Phnom Penh musicians, both veterans of the UK punk and alternative scene, both uncompromising and unique performers, and both of whom we don't get to see often enough. Scottish singer-songwriter James 'Skip' Sutherland will be at The Garage performing what he himself describes as 'a turmoil of tune-age, both originals and personal favourites, delivered in an inimitable and idiosyncratic manner - music lovers, beware!'. Meanwhile, just two blocks south of Skip, Ian 'Screaming Delta' Anderson reprises his role as punk singer extraordinaire at Sharky Bar. The Leicester-born former lead singer of Crazyhead goes head-to-head with Sharky's own Ricky Rotten in a Clash vs Sex Pistols tribute night. Ian then returns to the venue with the legendary Lazy Drunks on the following (Saturday) night. Read Julien Poulson's 'unauthorized account of an old punk rocker' in the Leng Pleng archives here.

Doors Phnom Penh offer a special Kok Thlok show on Saturday evening. Those already familiar with the hugely entertaining Khmer fusion musical ensemble may not be aware that Kok Thlok can morph into an even larger group that incorporates shadow puppetry into their performance. The band will combine dulcet traditional tones with a brightly-lit screen and expertly-manipulated 'Sbaek Touch' (the smaller and less formal iteration of the sacred 'Sbaek Thom'). Shadow puppetry is an ancient art form that has been proclaimed by UNESCO as one of the 'Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity'. More information is available on the UNESCO website. A full evening of live music from Kok Thlok will follow the Sbaek Touch performance.

A few gig-going options are available to round the Phnom Penh weekend off nicely. 'Lady Soul' Rhiannon Johnson returns to The Riverhouse Asian Bistro on Sunday in the esteemed company of Philippe Javelle and Lewis Pragasam. Meanwhile, Pavel Ramirez has taken over the reigns of the open mic session at Sharky Bar – where drummers, bassists and percussionists will find an opportunity to jam along with singers and strummers. Earlier on Sunday evening, Joe Wrigley continues the cosy Sunday Sundowner Sessions at Alley Cat Cafe.

Until next time, here's a video of the incredibly talented Mathias Aspelin performing 'Nardis Piano Solo' on 'Wild Strawberry Island' in Finland.