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.
Until next time, stay safe out there and... see you around the traps!
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