Dave Liang: The Musical Storyteller
Ever since he was young, Dave Liang had always been involved with music. With such ambitions and great talent, Dave landed a job as a music producer. He has worked with recording artists on the Bad Boy, Motown, and Universal Records labels – “ a job that only the very few and exquisitely talented could land.
In 2003, Dave decided to leave all that behind to pursue his own career as a musician. He began working on what would become a new sound that was fresh, nostalgic but modern. This new sound wasn’t to become just music – “ it was to become the meeting place and collaboration of old and new sounds. The result that came about was The Shanghai Restoration Project.
The Shanghai Restoration Project revives Shanghai’s jazz music of the 1930s, and is creatively combined with the upbeat sounds of electronica and hip-hop – “ demonstrating the reoccurring theme of East meets West. However, Dave’s music isn’t only about fusing music. It’s more about telling a story and at the same time recounting history through the universal language of music.
Since the release of his first studio album in 2005, there has been nothing but high praise for this young producer and musician. His latest studio album, entitled “Story of a City,” was released this past February.
ASIANCE interviewed Dave about the birth of The Shanghai Restoration Project, Dave’s latest album, “Story of a City,” and to see what we can expect from him next.
ASIANCE: You’ve come a long way since 2003 when you made the decision to become a full-time musician. Looking back on your success with The Shanghai Restoration Project, how does it feel to have accomplished so much in only a couple of years? What are your thoughts?
Dave: I’m definitely pleased with how things have progressed over the past few years. When I first put out the Project in 2005, I didn’t how people would respond. In fact, I’m pretty sure only one copy of the album was sold in the first week. Thankfully, my digital distributor IODA believed in the music and helped spread the word. I am very grateful to them and the countless other folks who have supported the music over the past few years (e.g. iTunes, MSN Music, Sandisk, Louis Vuitton, Warner Music Group, etc.).
I would hope that after listening to the music, people are inspired to learn more about other cultures, Chinese or otherwise.
ASIANCE: Recently, you released a new album in February, which has gained alot of praise and recognition. Can you talk about the album — the production of it, who were the guest vocals/musicians on there, the theme of the album, etc.?
Dave: The album is entitled “Story of a City” and is inspired by Shanghai at the turn of the 20th century. Structured like a book, the fifteen track compilation opens with an “Author’s Note” and “Preface” and concludes with a “Bibliography,” “Notes,” and “Acknowledgements.” Each “chapter” of the book is loosely inspired by a different scene from the era: the fall of the dynasty, the various intellectual and artistic movements, the rise of the Bund, etc. The album features singers and instrumentalists from all sorts of backgrounds, including artists who have worked with talents such as Moby, Kanye West, Wynton Marsalis, Erykah Badu, and Cirque du Soleil. To enhance the listening experience, many of the songs on Story feature actual street sounds recorded in Shanghai.
ASIANCE: I know that the music is inspired by Shanghai’s jazz music of the 1930s, but will any future albums try to “restore” or “revive” other decades/periods of Chinese music?
Dave: Presently my focus is on “reviving” the romanticism of the 1930s, but I’m definitely aware there are other great musical eras in Chinese history to highlight. Definitely something to keep in mind for the future.
ASIANCE: Where does your inspiration stem from when you compose/produce your songs, besides listening to Shanghai’s 1930’s jazz?
Dave: I tend to find inspiration in all genres. For “Story of a City”, I drew from a variety of influences including classical, choral music, country, electronica, jazz, R&B, rap, and pop.
ASIANCE: You mentioned in a previous interview that your main focus with the music is for Western listeners. Will that focus shift to Eastern listeners in a future project? Do you get any sort of feedback from your Eastern, particularly Chinese, listeners about your music? If so, what has the feedback from them been like?
Dave: While my initial focus was on introducing Western audiences to traditional Chinese instruments, in recent months I’ve noticed a growing number of Chinese fans who like the music. Many have told me that the songs remind them of their childhood (with a modern twist of course).
ASIANCE: Besides helping a Western audience with just a sample of what Chinese music is, what else do you hope to achieve, have happen, and/or gain from exposing your music to listeners?
Dave: By combing various genres and sounds, the Project attempts to introduce listeners to new places and perspectives. I would hope that after listening to the music, people are inspired to learn more about other cultures, Chinese or otherwise.
ASIANCE: What are you currently working on right now or in the near future?
Dave: I just finished producing an EP for a jazz singer-songwriter named Heath Brandon, who coincidentally sang on my most recent album. In early August, I will be releasing an Instrumentals album in celebration of the Olympics. Soon, I will also begin working on my third full length album, which I aim to release at some point in 2009.
ASIANCE: What do you hope to be doing in the next few years, in terms of your career?
Dave: I want to continue finding innovative ways to bring the Shanghai Restoration Project to new audiences. For example, next week I am taking a camera crew to Shanghai to film various scenes of the city that will play in the background during live performances.
For more information on Dave, please visit www.shanghairestorationproject.com and www.myspace.com/shanghairestorationproject.
To contact the writer, you may e-mail her at tanya.thamkruphat@gmail.com.
Photo credits should be given to Magdalena Ashkenazy.
> Besides helping a Western audience with just a sample of what Chinese music is, what else do you hope to achieve, have happen, and/or gain from exposing your music to listeners?
Liang corrects you on this point. Jazz and all the influences he cites are not “Chinese music”. What he does is very eclectic, and to call it “Chinese music” is a stretch.