Rza Live Re-scoring of "The 36th Chamber of Shaolin" movie

[the silencer]

I'm going to see this tomorrow....

Rza doing a live re-scoring of "The 36th Chamber of Shaolin" film using the Wu-Tang catalogue of instrumentals




http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2...olin-exclusive

ATTENTION, here's something not to be missed: RZA will be live-scoring the 1978 martial arts film The 36th Chamber of Shaolin—namesake to Wu-Tang Clan and their iconic 1993 album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)—in Austin and L.A. RZA grew up obsessing over films from Shaw Brothers, the Hong Kong production studio that birthed many famous martial arts movies; most notably, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, from director Chia-Liang Liu, was particularly influential on the musician, who created his own clan in Staten Island using the movie to weave their own mythology with Enter the Wu-Tang.

Finally, RZA will have a creative input in the film most seminal to bringing up his iconic rap group. The rapper/producer/director is re-scoring the entire movie from start to finish, re-purposing Wu-Tang music, which includes 40 instrumental tracks, beats, and vocals.

Regarding why the movie was so impactful to him, RZA said, "Beyond the kung-fu, it was the reality of the situation that hit me. Growing up as a black kid in America, I didn’t know that that kind of story had existed anywhere else." He worked on the new score for a year and a half and is finally ready to bring the motherfuckin' ruckus at the following screenings (don't miss it):

Thursday, Sept. 29 @ 10:45 a.m.
Austin, TX
Fantastic Fest at Alamo Drafthouse S. Lamar – festival attendees

Thursday, Sept. 29 @ 7:00 p.m.
Austin, TX
Stateside Theatre at the Paramount – open to the public

Monday, Oct. 10 @ 7:00 p.m.
Los Angeles, CA
Egyptian Theatre – open to the public

[Punch]

Mondo is selling a poster and t-shirts for this.
https://mondotees.com/blogs/news/new...haolin-by-gabz

[claaa7]

be sure to report back to us about this event

[Mumm Ra]

Mondo is selling a poster and t-shirts for this.
https://mondotees.com/blogs/news/new...haolin-by-gabz

might just order that black 36 Chamber shirt today, that's pretty dope

so are the posters, but I'm not spending $45 on one

[the silencer]

Officially the greatest multimedia experience i've ever had the privilege of experiencing. Front row saw The Abbott on the boards in front of a cinema screen showing "The 36th Chamber of Shaolin" with a live Rza re-scoring using the finest beats of the entire Wu-Tang catalogue.

Nothing tops that for me. Wu-Tang Forever, Only Built, 36 Chambers, Ironman, Liquid Swords, the whole 9. Just getting to hear Rza play a mix of the Best Of Wu instrumental catalogue on its own was an amazing experience. But he slices and diced this beat mix in perfect timing with the film and all its little cuts, Rza instrumentally interpreting each scene thru beats.


I was able to identify just about every beat he played, mostly from the whole 90s catalogue with emphasis on Forever-36-OB4CL as well as numerous other recognizable and enrapturing beats like some from 4th, Mathematics (he used "Publicity" to INSAAAANE effect in a climactic scene---"Who be first to catch this beat down?"), and at least a few Rza versions of samples 4th or somebody used on joints like "Swinging Swords" or "9th Chamber".

The live Rza mix also made me see his beats in a slightly different way too though, that it's this giant living batch of beats and samples that Rza amassed during his heyday of producing, all different knots of the same threads of soul joints and heavy break beats. Some being released 10 or 12 years apart but following the same thread. And Rza can play the beats live via their discrete elements. There was a few times where Rza was essentially PLAYING one of his classic beats right there live, keeping the kicks in line with the intensifying heartbeat of the movie. It was incredible to watch. I was nodding and laughing and generally saying "whaaaa holy fucking shit!!!!" the entire movie. Couldn't wait to see what beat he'd flip or cut in next.

Sold out crowd of 300 or so got to witness a unique and exclusive cinematic experience. Throughout the film there were occasional moments of going wild with cheering---seemed like the appearance of Protect Ya Neck got the biggest reaction, I think, but the way he mixed beats into the movement of scenes got loud reactions too---but generally the audience was quiet or unsure if they could cheer as it was a film being shown and it seemed whenever it got super loud Rza went to his headphones to focus on the score he was performing there. Right there live. Afterward he said he'd seen the movie probably 300 times. The cuts and timing throughout were incredible.

He played mothafucking "Diary of a Madman" to astounding effect.



He talked briefly in the beginning and at the end then peaced on outta there.

Live instrumental kung fu from The Abbott himself using the depths of the Wu catalogue in alignment with the classic Shaolin Kung Fu flick, the music blended into the movie mythology. Couldn't ask for anything better than that.

The main conclusion the entire experience left me with is that even though Rza's development and evolution as an artist has led him to places I'm not really interested in going (acting, guitaring, praising Trump, the weak last album, Banks and Steelz etc) the dude who created the entire catalogue of classics and taught pupils like 4th, Math, etc and made Sunshower & Impossible & Tragedy & The Cure is still here. He can still flip that heavy knocking 90s flavor in all of its minute grains and glorious forms for 2+ hours to perfection. The version of Rzarectah, The Abbott, the Rza we always yearn to hear on every appearance whose newest music has increasingly disappointed us... is still in fact the same dude. Still the Shaolin and Wu-Tang swordstyle master. The beat flipping DJ and producer.

There was noticeably less Bobby Digital in the score, though he did use joints like "They Can't Stop Me Now" and "The Whistle" as recurring motifs. It felt very SP1200....I don't want to say analogue, but the crisp drum snaps of "Ain't Nothing to Fuck Wit" came thru so perfectly. It was live. It was fresh. It was hip hop in its purest form.

It was as good as I could've hoped for. I had skyhigh expectations and it fulfilled and surpassed. Felt so honored to experience that. And so glad Rza is venturing into doing this type of thing. That is 100% exactly what Wu heads want to hear (I really hope a version of this gets released to the public because it must).

And I'm glad Rza did this before somebody else did. Nobody could've done this but The Abbott.

[the silencer]

They had SICK signed posters selling for 85 bucks. Line after the movie was into the next room.

I copped a dope t

[The Hound]

Sounds like this show was amazing, great write up silencer

Mondo is selling a poster and t-shirts for this.
https://mondotees.com/blogs/news/new...haolin-by-gabz

Just copped that black shirt, thanks for the link

[claaa7]

wow that really sounds EPIC, would have loved to attend that show.. i had hoped that there would be a few nice new tracks in there as well but whatever, it sounds incredible. actually RZA can still make those beats from time to time as you say it's just that he's not particularly interested it seems.

a lot of peeps don't know RZA got a lot of DJ skills, even i was suprised at that.. but he's done some heavy Wu-Tang mixes like those skateboard tapes and another one which i can't remember right now that was really sick in the way it was hooked up and how it flowed

[josborne3680]

Damn sounds fresh as f#ck. fingers crossed they add some more dates. Peace

[Mumm Ra]

Just copped that black shirt, thanks for the link

maaan

they mustve had that shirt available for like an hour, I never saw it available to purchase yesterday and it's still not there today

[The Hound]

maaan

they mustve had that shirt available for like an hour, I never saw it available to purchase yesterday and it's still not there today

Check the home page that's how I got it. The website is weird lol

[Mumm Ra]

got it, good looking out
yeah that is weird though, not on the 36 chamber page or the apparel page

[Erquel]

Thank you for sharing your experience with us, silencer!
Hope this project gets released in some form sooner or later

[Rev Jones]

Thanks for sharing your experience Silencer

[rainbow]

sounds great.... i always liked The Whistle beat a lot... hopefully some footage of this emerges.