chris wong in sync

I recently went to a birthday party in East Van attended by a who's who of talented musicians and composers in Vancouver's world music community. One thing I noticed at the party was the significant number of intercultural couples. Given that this was a gathering of people who are open to exploring different cultures, musically and otherwise, the couple thing wasn't a surprise. But looking at a broader context, these social dynamics represent change and progress.

Composer Mark Armanini, who was at the party with his Japanese partner, was born in Vancouver 50 years ago. "In my memory of Vancouver, [intercultural coupling] has increased many, many times." At the same time, Armanini thinks prejudice and segregation have decreased. Similarly, the number of collaborations between Vancouver-based musicians and composers from different cultures has grown considerably in recent years. Vancouver Pro Musica's Further East, Further West festival, May 28-June 1 at the Roundhouse Community Centre, will feature some of these collaborations. The festival will bring together elements ranging from classical Chinese and Vietnamese music to contemporary avant-garde and new music, along with both traditional techniques and inventive improvisation.

Further East, Further West has expanded from two nights in 1995 to three in 1997 and five this year. The festival's growth reflects the increasing breadth and depth of intercultural music in our city. "I think it's really a response to the nature of instrumentalists and composers in Vancouver," says Armanini, who programmed the festival. "It's a way to really bring to fruition what a lot of people do throughout the year," he adds, referring to intercultural performances such as those put on by the Sacred Music Festival, New Orchestra Workshop, the jazz festival and Pro Musica's Sonic Boom.

Studying composition with Elliot Weisgarber at UBC profoundly influenced Armanini's interest in intercultural music. He says Weisgarber, who died last New Year's Eve, was the "grandfather" of the local intercultural scene who opened ears to music from Asia and elsewhere. Armanini wrote his first intercultural piece in 1991, for a trio including pipa player Qui Xia He, who formed Silk Road Music that year. Armanini, who once played electric bass with a rockabilly band called Spent Youth and now teaches composition at Capilano College, has gone on to compose about 20 intercultural songs.

Further East, Further West begins May 28 with a performance by Chris Foley of Weisgarber's nine piano pieces that make up "Japanese Miscellany." The opening night also features Khac Chi Ensemble, doing Armanini's concerto for two dan bau (Vietnamese one-string zither, which sounds like an electric guitar) and a tune by NOW Orchestra's Coat Cooke (performed with Cooke and Pepe Danza). Orchid Ensemble plays May 29. The next night will focus on works by contemporary Taiwanese composers. A new trio-Qui Xia He and Brazilians Jovino Santos Neto and Celso Machado-will play May 31. Further East, Further West will conclude June 1 with improvised music by Crossing Borders, an ensemble including Coat Cooke, Ngoc Bich (of Khac Chi Ensemble), Lan Tung and Mei Han (from Orchid Ensemble), DB Boyko, Pepe Danza and Travis Baker. Tickets available at the door.

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Here's one good reason to bring yourself and your kids to the Vancouver International Children's Festival, May 27-June 2 at Vanier Park: it's an opportunity to hear enchanting world music. A case in point is the Saigon Water Puppet Theatre from Ho Chi Minh City. If you like the Khac Chi Ensemble, then you'll enjoy the otherworldly sounds of the musicians in this company, who play instruments such as dan bau and percussion on their CD Story. The Saigon Water Puppet Theatre performs every day of the festival except May 29.

As for local content, Orchid Ensemble will play May 28 as part of the festival's Asian Cultures day. Masabo Culture Company will perform May 31. Diez, an up-and-coming Latin group that does salsa and samba, will play June 1. Call 604-280-4444 for tickets.

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Jazz pianist Bruno Hubert has-how shall I put this?-an odd sense of humour. At the Cellar May 12, he acknowledged it was Mother's Day, and then said with a mischievous smile that he and his trio would play "The Man I Love." But there was nothing strange about his hearty playing. At this CD release party for the trio's wonderful Get Out of Town, on the Cellar Live label, Hubert exuded a bluesy vitality on tunes such as "Cost of Living" and "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy." Bassist Andr‚ Lachance and Brad Turner on drums were in sync with Hubert's expressiveness.

As for the grand piano Hubert plays Sundays at the Cellar, Tom Lee Music has been loaning the instrument to the jazz joint free of charge. Now Cellar owner Cory Weeds is raising funds to buy the piano through the Buy A Key campaign. Making a $100 donation toward the purchase will get your name on a plaque. Go to www.cellarjazz.com for information.