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Who is hiding behind this name, Chinese Man, a mystical figure both omnipotent and invisible? Why and how, for more than 15 years, do we still recognize his signature even though his music is multiple? To find out, I invited myself to Marseille, to the premises of Chinese Man Records, just before the concert of the group Chinese Man at the Fiesta des Suds.
Chinese Man, “the Chinese man” in French, has three heads: Sly, Mateo and High Ku. Three well-made heads who met in Aix-en-Provence at a time when some go to university. Three film, music and dance enthusiasts who, in the early 2000s, in Marseille, with other of their friends, set up the Chinese Man Records collective.
Today, Chinese Man is two albums (Racing with the Sun in 2011 and Shikantaza, in 2017), solo projects (BOLD, Matteo, Rumble) andnumerous collective projects such as compilations The Groove Sessions (with house artists such as Youthstar, Taiwan MC or ASM) who draw their influences from hip hop, trip-hop, but also dub, electro and reggae.
To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the collective that has become a label, producer and tourer, Chinese Man invited two other bands from the Chinese Man Records family, Scratch Bandit Crew and Baja Frequencia, composed the 5e volume of his The Groove Sessions.
The occasion of a new festive and daring live (it’s their trademark), that the Chinese Man took a malicious pleasure at home to celebrate the 30th anniversary of another Marseille and musical adventure that took them seen them grow and has often programmed them: the Fiesta des Suds.
Because I couldn’t miss the anniversaries of these Marseille institutions, I invited myself, before their concert at the Fiesta des Suds, at the Chinese Man. We talked about commitments, live shows and excitement through renewal!
SessionLab by Hortense Volle : a conversation in complete privacy and in 3D audio (spatialized sound). A podcast to listen to, preferably, with headphones.
Achievement : Benjamin Sarralié
3D sound recording and mixing : Fabien Mugneret
Production : RFI Labo
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Titles broadcast
▶ Excerpts from the compilation The Groove Sessions, Vol.5 – Chinese Man, Scratch Bandits Crew, Baja Frequencia (2020 – Chinese Man Records) : Hold Tight ; Be Mine ; Bonde do Gigi ; Break Down ; Beast is Loose ; Leng It Off ; You Can Go ; Not So Samba ; Just Before
▶ Excerpts from the album Shikantaza (2017 – Chinese Man Records) : Shikantaza ; Step Back ; Escape
▶ Taken from the album The Journey – Chinese Man & Tumi (2015 – Chinese Man Records) : The Journey
▶ Excerpts from the compilation The Groove Sessions, Vol. 3 (2014 – Chinese Man Records) : One Upon a Time ; Independant Music
▶ Excerpts from the album Racing the Sun (2011 – Chinese Man Records) : Morning Sun – Introduction ; Down ; One Past ; Ta Bom
▶ Excerpts from the compilation Groove Sessions (2007 – Chinese Man Records) : I’ve Got that Tune ; Artichoke ; Chinese Man