Set two: Voyage to the Inner Mongolia

When, to get into the mood for his inner Mongolia, and into the right voice of course, Hayden gargled a good swallow of 80 proof bison grass vodka, I had a feeling I could relate to this trip, whatever ensued. This was a much more roughshod ride than the previous set, again, only related through the vast ground it covered. And the profane fact that people on stage tended to break into vocals.

The picture is from the rehearsals, I was too late to get into position for a good shot. When I got over to the concert room, everybody was chugging heavily over the beat from the guzheng, but quickly the scene changed into a duo for extended vocalese from Fengxia vs. bursts from Hayden’s alto. Fengxia is like a force of nature really. Imagine Phil Minton-like vocal acrobatics, that sometimes fade into concrete vocals in languages I don’t understand (but sometimes suddenly burst into definite commentaries in German on the ample stuff happening around stage, like commenting on Gareth’s playing: ah, the Chinese blues), dirge-like songs and, you know, I really don’t know about the history of the instrument, but if there’s a Don Pullen of the ghuzeng, it must be her.

Hayden and Gareth of course were on stage also, doing their thing, but frankly they were the able backing band, while Fengxia ruled the stage!