〈藍。掉〉起源於一場未知的即興對話，琵琶與藍調吉他，兩把弦樂，兩個古老文化的相遇，兩種截然不同的音樂思考邏輯，各自帶著強烈的敘事風格與色彩，撞擊出最饒富趣味，生機蓬勃的音樂場景。帶著琵琶闖江湖的跨界俠女鍾玉鳳，與遊蕩於熱帶盆地，才華洋溢的藍調吉他浪人David Chen，兩人各有豐富的創作經歷與相異的文化脈絡，琵琶來自古老的魯特琴家族（Lute），是個性分明、敘事性強的獨奏樂器。藍調最早源自非洲，發展成西方深厚的民謠傳統基底，以藍調12小節與和弦的流動引領情緒。「跨界」是樂器特性延伸與探索的新起點，玉鳳與David以藍調開啓對話，彼此浸染、滲透，玩出更多琵琶與吉他的想像空間，拓展更自由的音樂想像。

 

在這個全新的跨界組合裡，玉鳳驚艷於藍調音樂的隨性自在，隨指尖閑晃遊蕩，讓音樂帶領新鮮的呼吸。而David則是在文武並濟的琵琶中，發現獨特的語彙美學，琵琶拋棄和弦思考，卻可以架構出比搖滾更具爆發力的曲式，也可以俏皮活潑地玩起不規則拍，或唱起氣勢磅礡的阿拉伯沙漠行進曲。琵琶與藍調，撞出更多微妙的化學質變，在那裡，他們盡情地即興對話，＜藍。掉＞2014年於台灣各地巡演，場場掌聲不斷，獲得觀眾高度評價。今天，他們的音樂仍在滋長、變化，指尖上的聲響跨越邊界，走著走著，越來越藍......

 

 

Chung Yufeng and David Chen / FADE TO BLUE 

 

"Fade to Blue" is a project that pairs two performers of musical traditions from opposite ends of the world: American blues and folk and traditional Chinese music. Taiwanese pipa player Chung Yufeng and American guitarist and singer-songwriter David Chen both relish the joy and challenge of using their respective instruments to complement each others' music. Their live repertoire, dubbed both "fascinating and peculiar" by one Taipei newspaer, also happens to be immense fun for both musicians and listeners, and includes songs by bluesmen Son House and Leadbelly and original compositions by Yufeng that are inspired by Flamenco, Mongolian and Middle Eastern music.

 

For Yufeng and David, who are both based in Taipei and are long-time friends and collaborators, "Fade to Blue" is something of a happy accident, borne out of a fruitful improvisation. Several concerts arranged for the pair in China in 2014 was originally thought of as a one-off project. But a positive audience response encouraged David and Yufeng to continue on. "Fade to Blue" derives its name from the Chinese characters "Lan Diao," (lit. "blue" and "lost" or "fade") which is a novel and evocative combinaton of words for native Chinese speakers. For David, it's also a tongue-in-cheek reference to a certain beloved rock band that he listened to as a teenager growing up in America. And while there's always a fair amount of joking and light-hearted banter when the two get together, they are serious about having their fun. At a "Fade to Blue" performance, David and Yufeng aim to take their music, as well as the audience, on a sonic ride.