Laurent Jeanneau, a Frenchman living in China, is a specialist in field recordings who spent a lot of time in Asia developing his work. A long time practitioner of ethnic field recordings, which he releases on his own label (Kink Gong Recs) as well as on Sublime Frequencies, Laurent’s work could be divided in two distinct approaches.
Laurent Jeanneau recording
From his home base in Dali, Laurent Jeanneau travels to remote regions in order to record tribal sounds that characterize the life of remote ethnic minorities. However, his side project, Kink Gong modifies these recorded sounds in order to create moods and ambiences that translate into unique soundscapes.
«Small Path Music – with Laurent Jeanneau», David Harris (2011):
Kazakh Huts
Xinjiang (“new frontier” in Chinese) or Eastern Turkestan is probably the first extremely sensitive zone in China, at least in terms of ethnic conflict between the Hans newcomers and the Muslim minorities who have a longer history of occupation of those areas. Spread from Mongolia to Afghanistan, it is the biggest Chinese province. During the weeks leading up to the Uyghur uprising of 2009, Laurent was travelling in the Northwestern part of Xinjiang, in the prefecture of ILI, called Yining outside of China and Ghulja by the Turkophones. Breaking away from the ever-suspecting enquiries of the local authorities and armed with his trusty audio gear, Laurent managed to record magnificent performances from local musicians on all sides of the communities. The result was a rich mix of Islamic folk music with hints of Arabic, Persian and Ottoman influences, performed by surprisingly skilled musicians on an eclectic array of different stringed instruments.
Kurban, an Uyghur instrument maker
One amazing example is Jaymanur Ajabek, a 20 year old Kazakh Dongbra player student from Kui Tun fine arts university whose lightning fast fingers dominate the B Side of the Kink Gong LP. Other examples are the recordings of an Uyghur trio made of Satar, Tambur and Dotar – all traditional Uyghur instruments.
listen to Track “Kiksu” (B-Side of the Kink Gong LP)
“Simple and beautiful soundscapes, it makes people fall into visionary reality.” (Kwan Yin)
Jaymanur Ajabek playing the Dongbra
From these locally made recordings of Dongbra, Dotar, regional radio interferences and various other obscure instruments, Laurent electronically transforms the original sounds, creating a surprising melting pot of traditional music, field recordings, electronic atmospheres and free form experimentations.
You can stream and buy the LP here: http://discrepant.bandcamp.com/
Or straight from the website of the label: http://discrepant.net/releases
Erhai Floating Sounds – Sound Performance by Julien Clauss and Laurent Jeanneau:
nice goncalo
to everyone :
KINK GONG MUSIC CATALOGUE
IS A COLLECTION OF ETHNIC MINORITY MUSIC YOU HAVE PROBABLY NEVER HEARD BEFORE : 101 CDs
CHINA: 50 CDS + 3 DVDS
CD MOSUO/PUMI SONGS AND RITUALS IN YUNNAN AND SICHUAN 2006
CD NUOSU (YI) SONGS IN LIANGSHAN SICHUAN 2006
CD HUA MIAO SONGS, MOUTHORGANS IN LIANGSHAN SICHUAN 2006
CD HENAN MOUTH ORGAN IN SHENZHEN 2007
CD SHUI SONGS IN GUIZHOU 2007
CD DONG SONGS IN GUIZHOU 2007
CD MIAO GUPIAOQIN, SONGS, MOUTH ORGANS IN GUIZHOU 2007
CD LALUO (YI) SONGS IN YUNNAN 2007
CD SHUI MIAO WOMEN SONGS GUIZHOU 2007
CD BAI CEREMONIES, DALI YUNNAN 2008
CD BAI WOMEN SONGS, DALI YUNNAN 2008
CD CHANG FO JI, BUDDHIST PRAYERS LOOP MACHINES 2007
CD FIELD RECORDINGS, CHINA 2006 TO 2008
CD TIBETAN SONGS TAPE BOUGHT IN LITANG SICHUAN 1992
CD NISU (YI) VOL 1 solo, duo, trio IN AZHAHE YUNNAN 2009
CD NISU (YI) VOL 2 instrumental and vocal group IN AZHAHE YUNNAN 2009
CD DARK BLUE YAO SONGS IN AZHAHE YUNNAN 2009
CD UYGHUR TAMBUR,SATAR,DOTAR IN YINING XINJIANG 2009
CD UYGHUR VARIOUS INSTRUMENTS IN YINING XINJIANG 2009
CD KAZAK DONGBRA, KOBUZ IN YINING XINJIANG 2009
CD KAZAK AKEN SONGS IN CHAPCHAR XINJIANG 2009
CD KIRGIZ MANAS SONGS IN TEKES XINJIANG 2009
CD KAZAK DONGBRA IN KARAJUN XINJIANG 2009
7 CDS AKHA (HANI) ANCIENT SONGS XISHUANBANNA 2009
CD LALUO (YI) INSTRUMENTAL, VOCAL YUNNAN 2010
CD WA IN LINCANG YUNNAN 2010
CD WA FOREST IN LINCANG YUNNAN 2010
CD DAI SONGS LINCANG YUNNAN 2010
CD DALI / LIJIANG / LUGU LAKE YUNNAN 2006 2010
CD NUOSU (YI) INSTRUMENTS LIANGSHAN SICHUAN 2010
CD NISU (HUA YAO YI) 1 shaman, songs, string instruments SHEPING YUNNAN 2011
CD NISU (HUA YAO YI) 2 ritual dance, songs, string instruments SHEPING YUNNAN 2011
CD HANI 1 instrumental and vocal group AZHAHE YUNNAN 2011
CD HANI 2 instrumental and vocal group AZHAHE YUNNAN 2011
CD NISU (YI) VOL 3 DAY instrumental and vocal group IN AZHAHE YUNNAN 2011
CD NISU (YI) VOL 4 NIGHT instrumental and vocal group IN AZHAHE YUNNAN 2011
CD NISU (YI) VOL 5 solo, duo, trio and group IN AZHAHE YUNNAN 2009
DVD KAZAK / KIRGIZ ILI XINJIANG 2009
DVD UYGHUR ILI XINJIANG 2009
DVD DAI SONGS LINCANG YUNNAN 2010
CD BULANG 1 (WU) Buddhist ceremonies LINCANG YUNNAN 2011
CD BULANG 2 (LAWA) LINCANG YUNNAN 2011
CD WA DANCE LINCANG YUNNAN 2011
CD WA/LAHU SONGS LINCANG YUNNAN 2011
CD MONGOL in XINJIANG CHINA and MONGOLIA 2009 2011
CD JINGPAW (ZAIWA) DEHONG YUNNAN 2011
CD JINGPAW (ZAIWA) DOMSA shaman DEHONG YUNNAN 2011
CAMBODIA: 19 CDS
CD JARAI LOVE SONGS IN RATANAKIRI 2003
CD BRAO / KRUNG SONGS IN RATANAKIRI 2003 TO 2005
CD TAMPOON SONGS VOL 1 IN RATANAKIRI 2003 2004
CD TAMPOON SONGS VOL 2 IN RATANAKIRI 2004 2005
CD PHNONG INSTRUMENTS IN MONDOLKIRI 2007
CD PHNONG GONGS VOL 2 IN MONDOLKIRI 2005
CD PHNONG GONGS VOL 3 IN MONDOLKIRI 2005
CD PHNONG SONGS VOL 4 IN MONDOLKIRI 2005 2007
CD KRUNG GONGS IN RATANAKIRI IN 2004 2005
CD KRUNG BRATANEUL CEREMONY IN RATANAKIRI 2003
CD KAVET GONGS IN RATANAKIRI 2004
CD KRUNG FUNERAL CEREMONY IN RATANAKIRI 2003
CD JARAI GONGS AND SONGS 1 IN RATANAKIRI 2003 TO 2006
CD JARAI GONGS AND SONGS 2 IN RATANAKIRI 2003 TO 2006
CD KHMER WEDDING QUARTET IN RATANAKIRI 2003
CD BRAO MEUT MOUAN lying down epic song IN RATANAKIRI 2005
CD COMPILATION OF GONGS IN RATANAKIRI, MONDOLKIRI 2003 TO 2007
CD TAMPOON VOL 3 IN RATANAKIRI 2003 2004
CD TAMPOON VOL 4 IN RATANAKIRI 2003 2004
LAOS: 16 CDS
CD BRAO KANYING / BRAO HAMONG IN ATTAPEU PROVINCE 2006
CD BRAO KAVET / BRAO JREE IN ATTAPEU PROVINCE 2006
CD NYAHEUN IN CHAMPASAC PROVINCE 2006
CD GONGS OF BRAO LAVE / NKRIANG IN CHAMPASAC PROVINCE 2006
CD ARAK / TRIANG / NKRIANG IN XEKONG PROVINCE 2006
CD COMPILATION OF THA (FLAT GONGS) IN CAMBODIA & LAOS 2004 TO 2006
CD BRAO GONGS IN LAOS 2006
CD CHAMPASAK ROYAL COURT MUSIC 2006
CD AKHA (SHAMAN, FLUTE, SONGS) MUANG SING 2009
CD DARK BLUE YAO ANIMIST CEREMONY, PHONGSALY 2010
CD DARK BLUE YAO TAOIST RITUAL, PHONGSALY 2010
CD KHMU (SONGS, FLUTE, MOUTH ORGAN ) PHONGSALY 2010
CD LANTENE SONGS, LUANG NAMTHA 2010
CD LUANG NAMTHA (AKHA, HMONG, LANTENE, SILA ) LAOS 2009 2010
CD PHONGSALY ( MOON, KHMU, AKHA,LEU,PHOUNOI ) LAOS 2010 2011
CD BIT SONGS with MOUTHORGAN, LUANG NAMTHA LAOS 2012
VIETNAM: 10 CDS
CD BLACK HMONG SHAMAN CEREMONY IN SAPA VIETNAM 2006
CD BLACK HMONG VOL 1 IN SAPA VIETNAM 2006
CD BLACK HMONG VOL 2 IN SAPA VIETNAM 2006 , 2007
CD RED DAO BAOZOO SONGS IN SAPA VIETNAM 2006
CD BLACK AND RED DAO BAOZOO SONGS IN SAPA VIETNAM 2006
CD GIAY SONGS IN SAPA VIETNAM 2006
CD BLACK AND FLOWER HANI SONGS IN NORTHERN VIETNAM 2007
CD LU SONGS AND FLUTES IN NORTHERN VIETNAM 2007
CD HANOI (CA TRU, FUNERAL, STREET MUSIC) 2007 AND 2009
CD BLACK THAI SONGS DIEN BIEN VIETNAM 2011
TANZANIA: 6 CDS
CD HADZA VOL 1 MALIMBA AND SONGS IN NORTHERN TANZANIA 1999 2000
CD HADZA VOL 2 MALIMBA AND SONGS IN NORTHERN TANZANIA 1999 2000
CD HADZA VOL 3 EPEME CEREMONY IN NORTHERN TANZANIA 1999 2000
CD HADZA VOL 4 EPEME CEREMONY IN NORTHERN TANZANIA 1999 2000
CD DATOGA SONGS IN NORTHERN TANZANIA 2000
CD MAKONDE / MUSLIM CEREMONIES IN MTWARA TANZANIA 2000
RECORDED BY LAURENT JEANNEAU
unless stated
LOCAL PROJECTS ( each cd has 500 copies, 100 were given to the concerned communities) :
3 CDS PRODUCED IN RATANAKIRI CAMBODIA 2006 by Ian Baird, Jeremy Ironside, Laurent Jeanneau
4 CDS PRODUCED IN CHAMPASAC. ATTAPEU, XEKONG LAOS 2006 by GAPE, Ian Baird, Laurent Jeanneau
DOUBLE CD PHNONG IN MONDOLKIRI CAMBODIA 2007 by Sylvain Vogel, Laurent Jeanneau produced by l Ambassade de France a Phnom Penh
CDS RELEASED BY OTHER LABELS:
DOUBLE CD HADZAS BUSHMEN OF TANZANIA, MUSIQUE DU MONDE, FRANCE 2003
CD ETHNIC MINORITY MUSIC OF NORTHEAST CAMBODIA, SUBLIME FREQUENCIES, USA 2006
CD ETHNIC MINORITY MUSIC OF SOUTHERN LAOS, SUBLIME FREQUENCIES, USA 2007
CD ETHNIC MINORITY MUSIC OF NORTH VIETNAM, SUBLIME FREQUENCIES, USA 2007
CD ETHNIC MINORITY MUSIC OF NORTHWEST XINJIANG, CHINA, SUBLIME FREQUENCIES USA 2010
ELECTRONIC STUFF:
1 TRACK TARLOSE & EARSHOT LIVE IN NYC ON SOUNDLAB CD FLAV O PAC NEW YORK USA 1999
1 TRACK TARLOSE WASHING MACHINE ON TELE TRAVAIL CD ADENOIDE TOULOUSE FRANCE 1999
CD BUSHMEN REMIX ON STICHTING MIXER AMSTERDAM NETHERLANDS 2003
CD SOUNDSCAPE CHINA , KINK GONG , ON KWANYIN, BEIJING CHINA 2007
2 TRACKS ON DOKIDOKI DOUBLE VYNIL I REGRET NOT HAVING KISSED YOU, PARIS FRANCE 2008
1 TRACK ON 4 NINABIS DOUBLE VYNIL BATTERIE FAIBLE, TOULOUSE FRANCE 2008
PART OF MATHEW ADKINS 60 COMPOSERS PROJECT CD EMPREINTES DIGITALES CANADA / ENGLAND 2008
CD KINK GONG ELECTRONIC WORLD ON ATAVISTIC CHICAGO USA 2009
CD TANZANIAN REMIX, KINK GONG, 2000 / 2004
to be released on feb 1 2012 by PPT/STEMBOGEN IN PARIS
CD CAMBODIAN REMIX, KINK GONG, 2003 / 2006
CD LAOTIAN REMIX, KINK GONG, 2006 / 2010
CD VIETNAMESE REMIX, KINK GONG, 2006 / 2008
CD CHINESE REMIX, KINK GONG, 2002 / 2010
CD XINJIANG REMIX, KINK GONG 2009 / 2010
released on dec 1 2011 by DISCREPANT IN LONDON
LP XINJIANG, KINK GONG 2009 / 2010
http://discrepant.bandcamp.com/album/xinjiang
based on http://www.touchradio.org.uk/touch_radio_44_laurent_jeanneau.html
RADIO SHOWS:
2001 ODYSSEE CHINOISE, ATELIER DE CREATION RADIOPHONIQUE, FRANCE CULTURE PARIS FRANCE 2002
INTERNET:
kinkgong@gmail.com or shitanding@yahoo.com.cn
http://www.myspace.com/kinkgong
in chinese :
http://www.douban.com/artist/dingding/
http://store.taobao.com/shop/view_shop.htm?shop_id=36880386
en francais :
http://pro.cdmail.fr/pro/stselect112.htm
http://songsofpraise.hautetfort.com/
http://www.quaibranly.fr/fr/programmation/les-rendez-vous-du-salon-de-lecture/zoom-sur-le-nomadisme/decouvez-les-enregistrements-de-laurent-jeanneau.html
XINJIANG SOUNDSCAPE ON http://www.touchradio.org.uk, LONDON UK 2009
SOUNDSCAPE YUNNAN ON http://www.discrepant.net.uk, LONDON UK 2010
LIJIANG CONCERT OCT 2010 ON http://soundcloud.com/kink-gong
5 MINUTES OF 7 REMIX ON myspace.com/kinkgong
DJ SET AT QUAI BRANLY MUSEUM PARIS JUNE 2011 ON
http://www.braindub.com/projects/se/2011/quaibranly/
http://official.fm/tracks/280380
TRAILER:
http://davidarthurharris.com/small_path_music.htmlhttp://ww
ARTICLES:
w.liberation.fr/culture/01092345415-laurent-jeanneau-chineur-de-sons
http://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Music/2011/0912/China-Ethnic-minority-music-finds-an-advocate
http://www.mondomix.com/actualite/1627/laurent-jeanneau.htm …
VIDEO:
ERHAI FLOATING SOUNDS BY HUANG PEISHAN 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWzNyvidiX0
Having bought and enjoyed “XINJIANG” lp, and then the 5 cd remix set I really would like to know where it might be possible for me to find sellers of the 101 cds mentioned above? I *think* I saw them in a shop in France but as I live in UK, going back there wouldn’t be too easy. Any idea where I couls search?
Thanks for your time!
Dave
Hi Dave,
Thanks for the enthusiasm. Unfortunately Laurent’s work is not very well distributed in Europe. You can get some through a French Distributor (http://www.metamkine.com/?montri=mtk.titre ). You can also contact him and get a few directly from him: kinkgong@gmail.com
Hi Gonçalo – I got in touch with Laurent & have made arrangements to buy the recordings from him.
Since I left my comment here last month I have discovered that there are a number of recordings available to listen to on Spotify now if anyone else is trying to hear the works. And there are some recordings available to buy on iTunes. Hopefully other people will discover these great recordings and the Kink Gong name might become better known!
The soundscapes project reminds me of the work of Ethnomusicology, but also A. Ximm (www.quietamerican.org/vacation.html ): the One Minute Vacation colLection of user submitted audio recordings.
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