Beijing by way of Nashville by way of Sichuan: Abigail Washburn

February 11, 2009 | Category: China, Video

This one’s been a long time in coming. Abby is one of that rare but thankfully growing species of artist bridging the Pacific from West to East. She’s probably most famous in the US for her collaboration with Bela Fleck (who appears in the video), but she’s better known over here as the girl who actually, against all odds, made Mandarin bluegrass work. I originally filmed this in August for the Wall Street Journal, but it got lost in the post-Olympics, pre-Election shift away from China coverage. Luckily the GlobalPost took to the story and decided to put it up.

Abby makes a powerful argument both for and against “world music” (a genre I have to say I’ve never much liked): “It’s such an interesting phrase…because it really represents fusion music. It’s about taking this aspect of Arabic culture and this aspect of Eastern European culture [and throwing them together], whereas I think the future of global music is in having human beings spread across two cultures, or several cultures, and combining the music internally before it even comes out.”

I certainly hope so.

Enjoy.

Her website is here. And the website for Casey Driessen, the mind-blowing fiddle player who also appears in the video, is here.

Tags: Art, beijing, bluegrass, culture, diplomacy, globalpost, Mandarin, music, Nashville, Sichuan

3 Comments

Val Chin on February 11th, 2009
1
Loved this Josh – I can see why the Chinese would be so drawn to bluegrass – it has a familar sound.
Matthew Roth on February 11th, 2009
2
Wait, did you show this to Faith? Abigail is singing the song that Faith sung when were were there in high school. Too cool!
Faith Sandberg on February 12th, 2009
3
wow wow wow, josh!
that’s the rocking-est rendition i’ve ever heard.
i’m in love with this song. again.
i want to play abagail in the “lifetime television for women” version of her story. what a musical talent.

and what a talented story-teller you are, old friend.
thank you for sharing with me.

love from the other city,
f

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About the Author

Josh Chin is a freelance journalist based in Beijing. He also once worked as a sous chef in a French restaurant in San Francisco. Neither job has been good for his health.