I left for SRWMF (Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival) last Thursday and before we know it, it was over. Since 2001 this has been our sort of annual pilgrimage. Meeting the same old gang (Richard Tan, John Clewly, David Bowden, Sarren, Ben Jimbau, Jun, Siti Radiah, Steve Fulton and other familiar faces… and of course Daryl Goh) plus new ones who say they will return. Here’s some of the media who were having way too much fun. Tsk tsk.

Was glad Nazir could make it this year too. SRWMF has such a buoyant perk about it just keeps bringing people back. From a mere 300 audience when they first started out in 1998, last year saw record attendances of 15,000. I won’t be surprised if last Saturday’s party had close to 10,000.

A first timer Yap promised to return next year. Those who know it will want more. Happy Yap is somewhere in the crowd. A tsingtao to the first person who can spot where he is.

Here are some of my fave performances: Issa Bagayogo (Mali), Samba Sunda (Bandung, Indonesia), Black Umfolosi (Zimbabwe), Silk and Bamboo (Japan), Sidi Goma (Gujerat, India) and Silverio Pessoa (Brazil). But Iraqi exile Fawzy Al-Aiedy is heads above the rest for me.

I attended his workshop and got this wonderful track down (It will be up for just a short while). Go to his record label site if you are interested to know more.
One more year to go….


Finally Durian King will premier this Friday on Channel I at 9pm. We all been (and still are) working our ass off on this 13 episode comedy for the last few months. It starred the excellent Adrian Pang as Durian King, along with the dynamite Kym Ng as Feon See Chao Lian and our good friend Benji Heng as Seow Lang. Watched out for newcomer Lawrence Wong as the villain Kim Leng. As for the music, I mapped it out as a tribute to music used in Chinese Kungfu cinema and TV serials. Along with cheap beng disco, the whole thing now is a weird hybrid gone hopefully insane. Tune in this Friday, 9pm on Channel I!