Print

Mail

wiki links

Femininity from a woman's perspective

With guitarist Ken Ohtake and accordionist Hsieh Chieh-ting, Wan Fang's uses indie music to share her insights on life as a woman.

Is a woman less of a woman if she doesn't conform to commonly accepted ideals of femininity? Why should we do what most people think is right and proper? These questions and more will be the motifs of Wan Fang's (萬芳) concert tomorrow night at Riverside Cafe (河岸留言).

This will be the last stop of her nation-wide tour, which began after her shows at Trees Music and Art's (大大樹音樂圖像, TMA) Women's Voice Festival (女歌節) last year. Those performances, the summation of her experiences as a woman and the beginning of a new creative experience as a musician, were her first collaboration with the TMA indie label.

Although better known for her Mando-pop albums, Wan has often left the spotlight to work on musical side projects and in theater productions. In doing so, she has established herself as a serious songstress. She has also proven herself as a thespian by working with diverse theater groups like the Ping Fong Acting Troupe (屏風表演班) and the Tang Mei Yun Taiwanese Opera Company (唐美雲歌仔戲團).

What sets the musician's indie performances apart from her mainstream concerts is the more intimate communication with the audience. She will share her reflections on being female through songs from her past albums and tunes that have touched her heart.

Two faces familiar to TMA's audiences will accompany Wan. A long-term music partner with Okinawan folk master Takashi Hirayusu, guitarist Ken Ohtake will match Wan's voice with his sedate and tasteful strumming.

Taiwanese accordionist Hsieh Chieh-ting (謝杰廷), on the other hand, is an emerging musical talent and a member of experimental jazz outfit Diagonal (對角線). Trained in classical music, painting and architecture, the artist delivers a fresh punch to Wan's gentle sounds with free-flowing tones that mix rock, folk and contemporary music. -Ho Yi
This story has been viewed 2259 times.