By the time the Suona Gang started playing their second song on Monday (January 27), some audience members realized they were attending a show unlike any other in the historic Orpheum Theatre. “New Clothing Addict” opened with Chiang Chun’s melodic solo on the sheng, an instrument normally played in traditional Chinese orchestras.
Yet at this LunarFest Concert, the talented Chiang was one of several hip young Taiwanese musicians performing lively contemporary jazz, R&B, and pop songs. Yang Tzu-I reinforced the modern feel of “New Clothing Addict” with elegant and emotional piano work. The subtle rhythm section of Huang Feng-Shuo on drums and Li Hsin-Ping on bass would have been at home in any jazz club in North American.
Band leader Wu Po-Kuan then added a pulsating, hypnotic effect with his alto-keyed suona. Next, the two other band members—traditional soprano suona player Liu Yen Chen and traditional alto suona player Chen Kuan-Hung—joined in, transforming “New Clothing Addict” into a jazzy free-for-all.
Suddenly, Lunar New Year at the Orpheum became the coolest event in town, courtesy of inventive musicians who are re-imagining the suona. It’s a traditional Chinese wind instrument normally associated with funerals and other ceremonies in Taiwan.
Sometimes referred to as the Chinese oboe, the suona is played with different mouthpieces, resulting in a wide variety of sounds. It looks a bit like a trumpet. The sheng, on the other hand, is a mouth-blown polyphonic free reed instrument, which emits sounds through vertical pipes.
Suona Gang repertoire acknowledges Lunar New Year
The title of Suona Gang’s third number, “Rainbow Traffic”, referred to the massive number of vehicles heading from cities to ancestral towns in Taiwan over Lunar New Year. Like its predecessor, this song opened with Chiang’s sheng, which practically pierced through the roof.
“Rainbow Traffic” also included a lively jam session with the three suona players, as well as outstanding vocals from Yang. Her spellbinding piano bridge fused magically with notes from the sheng.
As I was listening to these musicians play, it reinforced my view of Taiwan as a cultural powerhouse. Here in the hallowed Orpheum, they were creating celebratory 21st-century music with ancient instruments considered obsolete by most rock and pop musicians in Asia.
Moreover, group leader Wu also spent time educating audience members on the history of the suona. The modern keyed version that he played was invented about 80 years ago; the traditional suona played by the others has been around since the third century.
The Suona Gang’s fourth song, “Blessings for Bridges”, began more traditionally. But as it unfolded, the band added contemporary elements, including Yang’s singing. That was followed by “Evil Evil Go Away”, which highlighted the melodic interplay between Yang’s piano work and Wu’s alto-keyed suona.
Another song, “Whose Red Envelope”, opened with a bouncy bass beat, shining a spotlight on Li. And the closer, “Mr. Zombie”, was a rambunctious musical jamboree inspired by zombie films from Hong Kong. As their set came to an end, the suona players were having a blast at the front of the stage, riffing off one another not with guitars, but with instruments normally associated with funeral marches. It was a sight to behold—and one not likely to be repeated in that venue for years to come.
Event details
The Suona Gang will offer free music workshops at Ocean Artworks on Granville Island as part of LunarFest Vancouver, . The first two will take place at 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. on February 8. There will be two more at 11 a.m. and noon on February 9.
LunarFest Vancouver continues from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Granville Island on February 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, and 17. For more information, visit the website. The Suona Gang will also perform at 7 p.m. on February 1 at the Old Church Theatre in Courtenay.
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