"the edge of heaven": gary lucas plays mid-century chinese pop

"THE EDGE OF HEAVEN" has been re-released with additional bonus tracks on Knitting Factory Records, distributed by Sony/Red!!

Released originally in 2001, a tribute to the lush melodic sound of 30's Chinese pop, The Edge of Heaven: Gary Lucas Plays Mid-Century Chinese Pop features songs originally sung by two legendary Chinese film divas, Chow Hsuan and Bai Kwong.

Coming out of Shanghai originally between the wars, this fascinating (and little known in the West) musical genre combined elements of Western swing and jazz and Tin Pan Alley pop styles with Chinese influences, and was extremely popular in 1930s and 40s China.

And it lives again in China today, where it is undergoing a resurgence of interest—featured on the soundtrack to films like Zhang Yimou's "Shanghai Triad" and Wong Kar-Wai's "In the Mood for Love"...rearranged and remixed for clubs with dance beats...and rediscovered and re-recorded by current popular Chinese singers.

Guitarist extraordinaire/composer/songwriter Gary Lucas, called "The Thinking Man's Guitar Hero" in The New Yorker, arranged many of these classic songs for his album as solo acoustic instrumentals.

Read a re-appreciation of Gary's landmark 30's Chinese pop album "The Edge of Heaven" by the Wall Street Journal's chief pop critic Jim Fusilli on 12/22/15 on the Re: New Music website.

"THE EDGE OF HEAVEN": STANDING OVATIONS AND SOLD-OUT AT BAM OCT. 4th & 5th!!

A Pick in the Village Voice

A Pick in Time Out New York

Interview with Gary Lucas in USA China Daily newspaper

A Preview in the Chinese World Journal, Singtao Daily, and the China Press

Standing Ovation/Encore Moment at the Holland Festival Amsterdam June 2011

Clips from the world premiere of Gary Lucas' expanded concert version of "The Edge of Heaven" live in Amsterdam's BimHuis 6/10/11 can be viewed here courtesy Paul Berkholst, and photos from the BimHuis show taken by Andrew Bull can be seen on Facebook here.

Gary made his mainland China performing debut during Shanghai World Expo 2010 at the Chinatown Shanghai Club in Shanghai, China on Thursday August 5th, playing a solo concert concert featuring songs from his "Edge of Heaven" album with special guest vocalist Sally Kwok. Check out the press release and the poster!

Recent links of Gary's recent mainland China debut, from Shanghai Today.com:
An interview with Dr. Robert Lai about Gary's " Edge of Heaven" project, plus performance clips from the show with vocalist Sally Kwok at Chinatown Shanghai club 8/5/2010 here, and also photos from the night here.



Gary and Feifei Yang are pictured in the NY China Press Sunday about their recent performance June 8th at Joe's Pub at The Public Theater NYC

"Seeing Older Brother Off" from the world premiere at the Holland Festival of Gary's "Edge of Heaven" project in Amsterdam 6/10/11


"Tell Me", "A Tale of the Mah-Jong Game", and "The New Pair of Flowers" featuring Sally Kwok and Mo Hai Jin from the "The Edge of Heaven" project live at the Nijmegen Music Meeting Festival 6/11/11


A highlight of Gary's performing debut in mainland China—Bai Kwong's "If I'm Without You", sung by Sally Kwok at the Chinatown Shanghai Club 8/5/10


Listen to Jing Li's recent "Sounds of China" radio show devoted to Gary's 30's Chinese pop project "The Edge of Heaven"—2 full hours featuring songs from the album and an interview and live performance by Gary, broadcast 5/22/10 on WKCR (Columbia University).

Check out a YouTube clip of Gary performing "The Mad World"...and check out Gods and Monsters with Gisburg live performing "Please Allow Me to Look at You Again"...and Gary performing "Where is My Home" solo...all featured on "The Edge of Heaven".

Gary also recorded many of these songs with various female vocalists, singing in the original Mandarin.

listen to mp3s of:

Please Allow Me to Look at You Again - Vocal by Celest Chong
Night in Shanghai - Vocal by Celest Chong
The Wall - Vocal by Gisburg

All taken from The Edge of Heaven, which to date has sold over 10,000 copies internationally and was profiled in the Wall Street Journal.

The album also received rave reviews around the world—topping the World Music Charts in Canada, and making many Best of the Year lists (including the French newspaper Liberation)...received 4 star reviews in Rolling Stone, fRoots, Vibrations, and Global Rhythms...was extensively praised in the Chinese press in Taiwan, Hong Kong (including the Hong Kong Music Bi-Weekly) and Macau....and was profiled in the International Herald Tribune and on NPR:

listen to the NPR feature here,

and check out the Press Raves here.

You can order this stunning album here.

Additional clips from the world premiere at the Holland Festival of Gary's "Edge of Heaven" project in Amsterdam 6/10/11

"On Two Roads"

"A Pair of Flowers"

"Old Dreams" (reprise)

"The Wall" featuring Sally Kwok from the "The Edge of Heaven" project live at the Nijmegen Music Meeting Festival 6/11/11


Gary and Sally Kwok perform Bai Kwong's "I Wait for Your Return" onstage at Gary's mainland China performing debut, Chinatown Shanghai Club 8/5/10


Gary's mainland China debut in Shanghai, with vocalist Sally Kwok, Chinatown Shanghai club 8/5/10


Gary's performing debut in Shanghai w/Sally Kwok 8/5/10


Sally Kwok, Lieven Bertels (Holland Festival), Mo Hai Jin and Soo Lin (pipa player) backstage at the world premiere of Gary's expanded concert version of "The Edge of Heaven", Amsterdam BimHuis 6/10/11


Gary Lucas at the original Paramount Ballroom in Shanghai pointing to a photo of Chow Hsuan, one of the 30's Shanghai divas saluted in "The Edge of Heaven" project—the ballroom was home to 30's Chinese pop and is still standing
photo by Sally Kwok

 


Gary and Feifei Yang rehearsing in NYC for Gary's new album "The Edge of Heaven Vol. Two"


"The Edge of Heaven" at BAM totally sold-out 10/5/13—they had to turn people away
photo by Caroline Sinclair


Standing ovation and a sold-out performance of "The Edge of Heaven" at BAM 10/5/13
photo by Caroline Sinclair


Standing ovation and a sold-out performance of "The Edge of Heaven" at BAM 10/5/13
photo by Caroline Sinclair


Standing ovation and a sold-out performance of "The Edge of Heaven" at BAM 10/5/13
photo by Caroline Sinclair


Rocking BAM Fisher with "The Edge of Heaven" 10/5/13
photo by Caroline Sinclair


Packed show at BAM with "The Edge of Heaven" 10/4, l to r Jordan Shapiro, Gary Lucas, Billy Ficca, Sally Kwok, Mo Hai Jing, Ernie Brooks, Jason Candler
photo by Phil Mango


Packed show at BAM with "The Edge of Heaven" 10/4, l to r Jordan Shapiro, Gary Lucas, Billy Ficca, Sally Kwok, Mo Hai Jing, Ernie Brooks, Jason Candler
photo by Phil Mango


Gary at his sold-out "Edge of Heaven" trio show in Shanghai's 1930 Club with Sally Kwok and Maggie Mo 7/19/13
photo by Poky


Sally Kwok and Mo Hai Jing in Shanghai getting ready for "The Edge of Heaven"


poster for Gary's Shanghai show 7/19/13


Gary Lucas with Mo Hai Jin and Sally Kwok before the world premiere of the new expanded concert version of "The Edge of Heaven" at the Holland Festival, 6/11 Amsterdam