Jululu

JULULU came into being as a concept of collaboration between composer Jim Phelps (Chicago) and pop singer/producer Luo Ting-Yi (Shanghai - aka Ting) in Summer of 2001. They barely knew what each other did as artists but sensed a potential, dynamic "clash" of cultural sensitivities and aesthetics. Neither is typical within their genres, Phelps often eschewing more mainstream "institutional culture" electronic music and Ting being surprisingly about 1/2 Western, although she's never left her homeland of China - not your traditional Chinese.

Each was eager to pursue a different set of infuences, however mis/not understood they may have been. An earlier cultural clash experienced by Phelps in 1996, Hong Kong, had served up considerable intrigue for the composer, a computer-music piece of his, Chordlines, having been choreographed by Southeast Indian Traditional Dancer/Choreographer Siri Rama. The dance was right out of the traditional story-telling of the culture and no attempt at blending the aesthetics of the traditional dance and the contemporary, American computer music was perceivable. The first time the composer had any idea whatsoever as to the nature of the dance was at "showtime", as the composer took his place behind the mixing board as Siri Rama took the stage. While other composers were somewhat nonplused by this, Phelps was fascinated by the "butting heads" of the cultures/genres and appreciative of the lack of "diversity in unity" often evangelized in a post-modern (or perhaps post-post-modern) world where the word "multicultural" has become everything politcal and virtually nothing socially meaningful.

In the meantime, Ms. Luo was absorbing Western culture whenever/wherever she could, watching countless American movies and developing a rather convincing American-English accent by the time she was 19 years old - when she and Phelps met in Chengdu, China, while he was composer-in-residence at Sichuan Conservatory of Music for four weeks. With the help of a few trips to China, Phelps and Ting forged a strange collaborative union, with most of the work being completed in Chicago, post-production, incorporating vocals and other sounds, as well as images, captured mainly in Shanghai. Discussions of the work took place in person, via email and by telephone. They have never performed together.

So, what's a "JULULU", one might ask? Julu Lu is a famous street (the word "Lu" meaning street in Chinese) known for its decadance and debauchery during Shanghai's "colonial" days early in the 20th century. Although currently the street is only a vestige of its "glory days" it still offers some of this underbelly flavor. Such a spirit is prominent within THIS "JULULU."