Leng Pleng - Live Music and DJ Gig Guide of Cambodia: Weekly Wrap

Cambodian Tenor – pic: Phal Sopheary

Yusuke Kimoto conducts the Worldship Symphony Orchestra this Saturday afternoon at the Kizuna Hall, Cambodia-Japan Cooperation Center (CJCC), on the site of the Royal University of Phnom Penh. The concert is free and provides a rare chance to see a performance by a symphony orchestra in Cambodia. The orchestra has travelled all the way from Japan and will be performing with locally based Khuon 'Cambodian Tenor' Sethisak, mezzo-soprano Ai Iwasaki and the Angkor National Youth Orchestra. The program of music includes works by E.Strauss, Bartok, Borodin and the late King Father Norodom Sihanouk.

Check out the video below to see a recent television appearance by Khuon Sethisak performing a song from Sihanouk's 'La Forêt Enchantée'. Not many people are even aware that such a wonderful operatic tenor can be heard in Cambodia. It will definitely be worth making the journey to the University on Saturday for this concert (however watch out for the nasty roadworks taking place at the junction of Russian Boulevard and Mao Tse Tung Boulevard!). The Worldship Symphony Orchestra also performs on Monday at Ecole Paul Dubrule in Siem Reap.

Khuon Sethisak studied voice in Italy and Russia.
He won the prestigious 'Bella Voce' prize in Moscow in 1996

Clayton England – pic: Richard Marshall

Later on Saturday, Equinox offers an opportunity to catch two smokin' hot newcomers to Phnom Penh. Perry Digweed and Clayton England perform as part of the Creative Artists Night. This is a specially-conceived night where a group of inspired singer-songwriters play individual sets. The ambience will be a lot more hushed and intimate than most live music venues in Phnom Penh on a Saturday night. It will create an environment where one can listen to the subtleties of the singer and the song. This is the right setting to appreciate the softly-delivered songs of UK-based Perry Digweed (also known as TiNhearT). Check out his lilting style in the live video below. Clayton England is a soulful and powerful vocalist with a set of fine original songs that are evocative of great 'alternative country' artists like Ryan Adams. The ruggedly-handsome Clayton may not be around the Phnom Penh music scene for much longer as he may soon return to Alaska for the start of the wild salmon fishing season! Catch him while you can.

Leng Pleng is pleased to note the recent opening of a new music venue on Street 51 (a few blocks north of Sihanouk Boulevard) in Phnom Penh. Check-in Cowboy is, as the name suggests, a wild-west themed restaurant with local duos or trios performing most nights. This Sunday evening I will be bringing The Jumping Jacks down there for a good ol' hoe-down. Wearing of cowboy hats is encouraged but not compulsory.

Cambodian Space Project - pic: Monika Rittershaus. Members of CSP play Equinox as Bokor Mountain Magic Band on Friday

Film-maker Marc Eberle contacted Leng Pleng this week to let us know that a version of his documentary The Cambodian Space Project – Not Easy Rock'n'Roll will be shown by the British Broadcasting Corporation this Monday night. I'm not quite sure whether it would be either legal or possible to watch the BBC Four channel from Cambodia, but I am sure you already know how to sort out the logistics. The full-length version of Marc's film will be released later this year.

Phnom-Penh based record label Invisible Agent have a new release out. Audio Mainline's new EP 'Soma' is a great selection of cinematic, ambient and electronica tracks produced right here in Cambodia. Check out the video below for a preview and check out the Invisible Agent website for more information.