On Stage: Shen Yun brings Chinese culture to area

Also. Mother/Daughter duo performs, punk poetry and more

By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times

When people see the annual touring production by Shen Yun Performing Arts for the first time, they usually exit the theater with awe-struck looks on their faces. Invariably, they return to see the show the following year — and sometimes even during the same run the first year.

The 2015 edition of Shen Yun’s production arrives in Philadelphia on May 8 for a three-day run at the Merriam Theater (250 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, 215-893-1999, www.ShenYunPerformingArts.org).

Shen Yun’s show changes 100 per cent from year-to-year but the format does not. It always is a showcase for traditional Chinese culture. It is a performance that features all original songs and original dances — many of which are based on traditional pieces.

“Each year, it has a whole new set of programs,” said the show’s Mistress of Ceremonies Kelly Wen, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon. “I’ve been with the company since 2006 when I started as a dancer. Before that, I had studied Chinese dance in Toronto where I grew up.

“I was trained in Chinese classical dance so it allowed me to reconnect with my Chinese roots. Classical training really helped because Chinese dance is so expressive. There is a lot to learn. It’s very systematic — handed done through generations.

“When I was growing up, my parents encouraged me to speak English. As I started dancing, I picked up more of my roots. I had to learn about Chinese culture as a history lesson.”

Wen was impressive as a dancer for Shen Yun. Even more impressive were her communication skills.

“I was invited to be one of the M.C.’s after my first year as a dancer,” said Wen. “I wanted to emcee because of my interest in languages. In this show, I communicate the company’s message of connecting with ancient Chinese culture.”

The production, which is a breathtaking spectacular that delights audiences everywhere, features outstanding vocalists, elegant classical Chinese dance, a variety of traditional music along with an impressive stage design, gorgeous scenery and elaborate costumes.

It is a big multi-media show with inventive animation.

“The Shen Yun show has so much culture and history behind it,” said Wen. “What is unique is that we stay true to traditions. It is traditional Chinese dance. We don’t mix it up with modern song and dance because it would take away from the cultural value. We try to present stories onstage in their purest form.”

It is a different story with Shen Yun’s music. The Shen Yun orchestra accomplishes the difficult task of blending Eastern and Western instruments through original scores.

“Our music definitely is a blend of East and West,” said Wen. “We have Chinese instruments such as the erhu, the pipa, the Chinese trumpet, gongs and the Chinese timpani.”

The compositions are played the same as with all orchestras with a set foundation. But, with this show, the melodies are played by a full western orchestra and the leads by Chinese instruments.

There are pieces in the Shen Yun show that deal with the persecution of Falun Gong (a spiritual discipline that is similar to Buddhism). They are presented with just the right balance — not too heavy-handed but also not subtle enough to be overlooked.

“The messages are just the tip of the iceberg with what is going on in China right now,” said Wen, who is fluent in Mandarin and is currently studying the Korean language.

“A lot of Chinese culture has been destroyed by the totalitarian regime there now. So, it is great for us that we have the artistic freedom to represent arts from 5,000 years of Chinese culture. The show really embodies traditional values and a message of hope.”

Video link for Shen Yun —

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=_UtxvkD3Krg.

Shen Yun performances at the Merriam Theater will be on May 8 at 7:30 p.m., May 9 at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and May 10 at 2 p.m. Tickets range from $60-$150.

May 10 is Mothers’ Day. It’s a day for family reunions — a day when mothers get to relax and be pampered by their offspring.

But, there will be no relaxing for singer/songwriter Suzzy Roche. She’ll be spending the day with daughter Lucy Wainwright Roche but pampering is not on the menu.

Lucy Wainwright Roche is also a singer/songwriter. On May 10, she and her mom will be performing a special Mothers’ Day show at the World Café Live (3025 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, 215-222-1400, philly.worldcafelive.com) — and that’s only half of it.

“We’re doing a matinee show at the World Café Live,” said Suzzy Roche, during a phone interview Wednesday evening. “Then, we head back up to New York City for an evening show at the Highline Ballroom.

“Lucy and I really don’t perform together very often. We like to keep it for special occasions. We don’t want to run it into the ground. We did a month-long tour last fall and we’ll probably do another month-long tour this fall. This one is just four shows — Northampton (MA) on the 8^th, Boston on the 9^th and then Philly and New York on the 10^th.”

Lucy Wainright Roche is part of a musical family that has created many successful acts and a lot of records. Her father is Loudon Wainwright III, a 2010 Grammy Award winner. Suzzy — along with her sisters Maggie and Terre Roche — were in the Roches, a singing group with more than a dozen albums in its catalogue.

Roche is also the half-sister of singer-songwriters Rufus Wainwright and Martha Wainwright (whose late mother Kate was half of the Canadian folk duo Kate and Anna McGarrigle).

“Last year, my mom and I did a duet album together,” said Lucy Wainright Roche, during a phone interview prior to her show a few months ago at Burlap & Bean in Newtown Square. “It’s really rewarding when you work with someone new one-on-one. It brings out different things.”

Most of the time, Roche is a solo artist who entertains fans with her voice and her guitar. She has released two EPs — “8 Songs” (2007) and “8 More” (2008) — and two albums — “Lucy” (2010) and “There’s a Last Time for Everything” (2013).

In 2013, the mother-and-daughter team released a full-length LP titled “Fairytale and Myth” — an album that was nominated for “Best Singer/Songwriter Album” for the Independent Music Awards.

“The thing with Lucy was a wonderful surprise,” said Suzzy. “Neither of us expected it. We were trying to raise money so she could do a solo album. We did a couple tracks with a friend of ours — Rob Morsberger.

“It was an amazing experience. The whole thing had an ease about it. I wanted to make a record that was very soothing. Everyone I know is under pressure. So, I wanted to make music that was very calming. It was very simple — two voices and piano.

“For our Philly show, we’ll be playing some songs by other people, some of Lucy’s songs and some of my songs. It will be just the two of us — two guitars and two voices.”

Video link for Suzzy Roche and Lucy Wainright Roche —

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=xGRxR1MVNk0

The Roches’ Mothers’ Day show will start at 1 p.m. Tickets are $25.

The World Café Live will also present another event that is far from the run-of-the-mill when it hosts John Cooper Clarke on May 11.

Clarke is a master of performance art who first made his mark in the early 1970s when he was billed as a “punk poet.” Since then, his career as an entertainer has spanned genres including poetry, music, TV, film, radio, literature and fashion.

“The first time I was onstage was around 1970,” said Clarke, during a recent phone interview from his home in Essex, England “I was reading poetry to raise money for the local fire brigade”

Clarke delivered his satirical poetry in his own rapid-fire manner and soon he was embraced by the punk movement in the U.K. 40 years ago. He toured with acts such as the Sex Pistols, The Clash, the Buzzcocks and Elvis Costello.

In 1978, Clarke signed a major album deal with CBS Records. His records with the Invisible Girls were masterpieces that fused his poems and The Invisible Girls’ very distinct original music.

He also released a massive collection of his poetry and words “Ten Years In An Open Necked Shirt”, which became the bestselling poetry book of the1980s, and is reprinted every few years.

“It’s been a long time since I did an album,” said Clarke. “It’s a little niche at best — mixing music and poetry. I can only think of one guy who got it right — Lou Reed. I am really overdue for a book of poems.

“For this tour of the states, I’ll be reading a selection of poems — old and new. I’m not sure what my fans expect. I hope this floats their boat. It’s easy to describe but not easy to pull off. It’s been 33 years since I was performing in the states.

“I’m onstage for about an hour-and-a-half. I go off the beaten track here and there. No two shows are identical. I take what’s been happening and talk about that. I like to have things that are topical.”

Clarke has a wealth of material he can mine on any given night.

“I’ve written thousands of poems,” said Clarke, who was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in July 2013 by the University Of Salford. “When I write them, I’m not thinking of a demographic. I put hours in each day at my desk but I’m never really off work.

“If I’m out and get an idea, I might write it on a cigarette pack or a napkin so I don’t forget it. All that stuff feed into the romanticism. Very often, it’s just one line. Sometimes, I get the last line and then work backwards. It’s all about the technique.”

Video link for John Cooper Clarke —

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=fLX8AgEJZ8g.

Clarke’s show on May 11 will begin at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20.

May 1 was always a big day for the USSR as the Communist regime annually celebrated May Day with a display of its military might — in Russia and in its various republics.

This year, May 1 is also a big day for Vladdy Iskhakov — but not for the same reasons as it was in his native Uzbekistan.

Iskhakov is the founder and leader of the Atlanta-based prog rock band The Sixxis. On May 1 was the official U.S. release date for its debut album “Hollow Shrine” — an album that was released in Europe last September.

The Sixxis are now touring the states in support of the new disc — a 15-date tour opening for Ministry. The tour will touch down in Philadelphia on May 13 for a show at the Theater of the Living Arts (334 South Street, Philadelphia, 215-922-1011, www.tlaphilly.com)

The Sixxis  — Vladdy Iskhakov (lead vox, guitar, violin, keys), Paul Sorah (guitar) , Cameron Allen (guitar), Mark Golden (bass guitar), Josh “JBake” Baker (drums) — had its first recording “The Sixxis EP” as an independent release in January 2013.

“I was going to Columbus Sate College in Georgia and started the band as a fun thing and it evolved from there,” said Iskhakov, during a recent phone interview from his home in Atlanta. “It was started on 6-6-2006 and that’s where the name The Sixxis came from.

“I’m a violin player. I went to a bar and my buddy was playing in a band. I wanted to do that. So, we put a little project together. The one thing that really attracted musicians was that I was writing songs that he guys really dug. It took awhile to get going.”

Once the evolution of the band started, the process kept going.

“I’m the only original member left. The line-up that we currently have is a lot of like-minded musicians whose paths crossed at the right time. Once we got Mark Golden on bass and Josh Baker on drums, we decided to go as a three-piece.

“Around 2009, we got as manager named Tony Conway. He took us under his wing for about a year and really helped us get off the ground. Our first national tour was with Wishbone Ash.

“We had Cameron on guitar but he wouldn’t go on tour so we added Paul. After that, we decided to keep both Paul and Cameron as our guitarists. We all get along pretty well. With two guitars, I stopped playing guitar and began playing violin. On this tour, I’m playing keys and violin.
Those are the instruments with which Iskhakov is most familiar.

“My mother was a piano major,” said Iskhakov. “I was three years old when I started playing violin. I was classically trained on violin. I had Tchaikovsky and Beethoven for emotional inspiration.”

“With the EP that we released at the end of 2012, we waited until we had the right momentum — crafting the sound and getting the songs right. We went through the growing pains before we went into the studio.

“When we made our first full-length, it only took one month from beginning to end — including mixing. It was produced by David Bottrill and we used Warner Bros. Studio in Nashville. David came down to Nashville from Toronto in November 2013.

“After that, we did some overdubs at my studio — Goodwood Sound Studios. We haven’t been in the studio since. We want to tour this record for awhile. It’s been out in Europe for a few months and it’s just coming out in the states. We’re ready to go.

Video link for The Sixxis — https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QIURijk3qxo.

The show at the TLA on May 1, which also features the legendary Slovenian band Laibach, will start at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $55.

The Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295, http://www.kennettflash.org) will have the Jon Herington Band on May 8,

Todd Chappelle, Hot Breakfast and Em McKeever on May 9 and Orpheus Supertones on May 10.

Video link for Jon Herrington Band — https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=AKSFsTtzjYA.

The Steel City Coffee House (203 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, 610-933-4043, www.steelcitycoffeehouse.com) will host Minerva, Black Rue and Danielle & Jennifer on May 8 and Suzie Brown & Scot Sax with Cariad Harmon on May 9.

Chaplin’s (66 North Main Street, Spring City, 610-792-4110, http://chaplinslive.com) will present HighNotes Family on May 8 and Randy Sarles on May 9.

The Ardmore Music Hall (23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, 610-649-8389, www.ardmoremusic.com) will have Terrapin Flyer feat. Melvin Seals (Jerry Garcia Band ) & Mark Karan (RatDog) along with Sonoma Sound on May 7, Fishbone, Swift Technique, Sound of Urchin on May 8, Everyone Orchestra featuring members of The Disco Biscuits, moe., Galactic, Living Colour & more on May 9, Saul Williams and Sons Of An Illustrious Father on May 10 and Brothers Keeper & Moonalice with Doobie Decibel System featuring Jason Crosby on May 13.

Burlap & Bean Coffeehouse (204 South Newtown Street Road, Newtown Square, 484-427-4547, www.burlapandbean.com) will present Dan Navarro with Connor Garvey on May 7, Jadea Kelly and Emily Kopp on May 8and Ken Yates and Brian Dunne on May 9.

The World Café Live at the Queen (500 North Market Street, Wilmington, 302- 994-1400, www.queen.worldcafelive.com) will have Structured Freakability on May 7, Jean Rohe on May 8, Garland Jeffries on May 9 and Classica on May 13.

The Grand Opera House (818 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-652-5577, www.thegrandwilmington.org) will feature Pink Martini on May 8, Panorama Jazz Band on May 9, Brian McKnight on May 10, Ryan Adams and Strand of Oaks on May 12 and “Smart Talk” with Linda Ronstadt on May 13.

The Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808, www.st94.com) will feature the Mississippi Rail Company and Roosevelt Dime on May 7, Dug Pinnick and Corey Glover on May 8, Voyage on May 9, Nils Lofgren Acoustic Duo on May 10 and Tinsley Ellis on May 13.