Water Pushes Sand
Experimental jazz meets the bold rhythms of the Sichuan Provence.
“…the energy and virtuosity of the musicians, not to mention the amazing mask-swapping finale, was in the end irresistible.” Sydney Morning Herald.
Sichuan is the Texas of China. Its music combines colours from rustic country folk, street songs, and the cacophony of gongs and cymbals. It is more like blues or early rock and roll than classical music.
Eclectic composer Erik Griswold and the Australian Art Orchestra team up with all-star musicians and performers of Sichuan, China for a thrilling new work for this year’s Melbourne Festival. The ten-piece big band fuses Sichuan melodies and rhythms with modern jazz improvisation, face changing mask dance and projections created by brilliant video artist Scott Morrison, which evoke and abstract busy urban streetscapes. A wild intercultural celebration not to be missed.
Produced by Insite Arts. Includes free post show Q&A.
Feedback/Comments
Music was great, but as a performance piece perhaps the whole was not greater than the sum of its parts - it felt like it needed something to pull it together.
Thoroughly enjoyable
Very talented musicians and different style of music. Not my cup of tea, but historical and entertaining.
It's not the type of event I would normally get tickets for but I really enjoyed the performances
Wonderful mix of new music with Chinese influences, instruments & opera performer. Side seats meant we missed some of the screening. Enjoyed the mask performer and time after show for Q&A and an extra musical piece on the gotan.
Great to hear something new and innovative. Enjoyed the diversity of rhythms and the videos added greatly to the experience!
Amazing! As stated by someone else, some of the pieces were a cacophony of sounds, but the majority was lovely.
The fusion of jazz and traditional Chinese music was great!
The mask-changing actor was amazing and well worth seeing again. The rest of the show was great also.
good!
The saxophone and trumpet dual was a highlight of the show.
The mask-changing dancer was undoubtedly the best part of the performance.
Really enjoyed the show. :)
each musican is a master of their instrument and very talented, the background film clips and the dancer at the end were a nice addition, the hour recital went quickly hence a great alternate show
Excellent , unique, mesmerising and a grand finale
Enjoyed the energy and variety of instrumentation. The videos added depth to the performance. The Mask dance was confoundingly great!
Such an interesting combination of music genres.....so unusual..so new to these ears... Highly recommended
Brilliant performance that fed my soul. The combination of genres and cultures was superbly executed. Take the time to see this performance, it won't disappoint.
Interesting music. Sometimes beautiful sometimes raucous and the mask faces act was wonderful