Zhang Ling’s Blues Love
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2014-03-04 10:20 Author:ryeSource:Life Week
Zhangling
The first time he appeared on the stage of "China’s Good Songs", Zhang Ling wore his trademark hat and held the bass, singing a song called "Drinking Blues", which was like nagging after drunkenness and was particularly interesting and lazy against the blues scale. "Many audiences have heard this type of music for the first time, especially the blues sung in Chinese." Zhang Ling told this magazine. That night, Liu Huan, the music instructor, was the first to pull the putter. When he saw Zhang Ling, he clapped his hands in surprise and his eyes were a little wet. In fact, this is not the first time that Liu Huan has listened to Zhang Ling singing in the audience.
"In the late 1980s, Liu Huan once watched my band perform in Peking University." Zhang Ling recalled to this magazine that at that time, Liu Huan had just stepped onto the music scene with the help of "Young Ambitions Don’t Say Sorrow", and Zhang Ling was only 20 years old then. Zhang Ling’s band is called Mayday. In 1986, Zhang Ling from the Central Opera Troupe and Telly (lead singer of Black Panther band), He Yong and Cao Jun from the All-China Federation of Literary and Art Troupe always got together to play the piano. Influenced by Cui Jian, they started to form a band. "At that time, the band didn’t have much equipment, and the only piano I had was a Roland keyboard." Zhang Ling said that she was not a bass player at first. Because of the needs of the band, "members with better personalities will always become bass players". Zhang Ling said: "Bass players need to have a kind of tolerance. As a connector of several musical instruments, I realized at that time that the piano is connected with people’s personalities."
Zhang Ling said that the premiere of "Mayday" in "Polytechnic University" made him find "feeling" at once. On that day, Gao Qi and Wei Hua were on the same stage with them. These young people covered many classic rock songs. "In that flustered scene, everyone on and off the stage seemed to find what they wanted." At that time, Zhang Ling’s life became full and busy because of performances and rehearsals. At that time, Zhang Ling often covered Gary Moore’s songs. He was one of the most famous blues guitarists in the British Isles in the 1970s. At that time, the term "playing blues" was not popular in Beijing rock circle, and Zhang Ling could not learn real blues music from limited resources. "In the 1980s, Zhuang Biao and Lao Cui’s bassist knew some blues and jazz. I’ve seen them play and thought it sounded very comfortable. I especially wanted to know this kind of music and understand these harmonies, so I decided to go out to school. "
In 1989, 22-year-old Zhang Ling came to Sydney to study jazz at the Music School of the University of Sydney. In the eyes of musicians in the same period, Zhang Ling’s further study seems to be a bit "pioneer", and some even think that he missed the most prosperous era in the history of Chinese rock music. "At that time, Chinese rock music became hot in a vain state, and I rediscovered the position of music in the process of learning." Zhang Ling said. In 1990, the Sydney performance of the British band UB40 made him remember it vividly. "The first time I saw a reggae band, the scene could be so rich. I heard different kinds of music in their music." As a result, Zhang Ling seems to have strengthened his future music track. Although it is still vague, the scene of those music is enough for him to find new inspiration.
Zhang Ling’s performance at Xidi Bruce Bar in Beijing.
In 1994, after returning to China, Zhang Ling met Cui Jian while playing the piano in a bar in Dongzhimen. At that time, shortly after Cui Jian released the album Eggs under the Red Flag, more blues and free jazz elements appeared in his music. Zhang Ling did not hesitate to join in and became his music partner for the next 10 years. Cui Jian began to inject more modern musical elements into his music. In Zhang Ling’s view, "Lao Cui’s music is as earth-shaking as the modernization of Beijing". Undoubtedly, his musical sense is also undergoing this subtle change. Zhang Ling felt that Cui Jian’s music was an inspiration. He said, "Every rehearsal of Lao Cui will break the music and try it piece by piece. In the rehearsal, we tried too many musical styles, and the songs always took shape the day before the performance. " In this complicated musical attempt, Zhang Ling began to find some ways. He could not hold back his musical impulse and began to try to play some "other sounds". In 1995, many people saw an album with unique design in Xisi’s waiting record store. This album named Tian Chang Band was hailed as "the first jazz record in China" by later music critics. The original members of this band were Zhang Ling, Kong Hongwei and Saner (Zhang Yongguang) of Cui Jian Band. "At that time, we were all interested in jazz. Several people got together and made such a record according to their own understanding of jazz."Zhang Ling told this magazine," We put Bruce, ‘ Waltz of Beijing scale ’ Three-string tunes are all integrated into this record, which makes it sound more China-like. "
At the same time, another band that "changed" Zhang Ling’s music track is quietly being formed. John Anderson probably never thought that his original simple idea of blues music would come true. This "foreigner" traveled all over Beijing to gather the best blues musicians in Beijing to form this band called Rhythm Dog. "I remember in 1996, when the band rehearsed for the first time, I finally heard the voice that belonged to me." Zhang Ling said, "The first rehearsal was very successful. Eddie, Beibei, Jin Hao and other musicians and I found a resonance at once, so that we went to the CD coffee show at that time after the first rehearsal." Zhang Ling believes that it is very important for a freelance musician to find a suitable music style and play it.
In the eyes of Zhang Ling’s friends, the straightforward character of this "Beijing man" has something to do with his playing blues music. Zhang Ling also often said that Bruce prefers real stories. Those stories may be simple or even a little boring, but they are like a poem and a short story, singing the thoughts in the most common language. Since 2004, Zhang Ling has consciously sorted out the songs she wrote and recorded her first original record. Two years later, Zhang Yadong, as a producer, released this album named "Women’s Song" for Zhang Ling. "I have money" is the most typical blues song in the whole album, and it is also one of the "fixed tracks" that Zhang Ling is still performing in the bar. Zhang Ling explained: "Blues songs are catchy, the lyrics are straightforward, and there are also some humorous and self-deprecating elements. Although it is called ‘ I have money ’ , but as written in the lyrics ‘ Not money ’ , but the most easily overlooked wealth around everyone — — Happiness, sincerity, friendship, love, etc., many people forget to hold on to their ‘ Money ’ In the end, I can only keep a pile of money. Playing blues music is my favorite thing to do. It brings me happiness and sadness. These real feelings are ‘ My money ’ 。”