Cui Jian: Tiny Desk Meets globalFEST 2023

For the third year, Tiny Desk concerts team up with globalFEST for a thrilling online music festival — Tiny Desk meets globalFEST.

Bob Boilen | January 27, 2023
Hosted by Angélique Kidjo, the series echoes globalFEST’s live flagship event in spirit but is centered in the framework of the Tiny Desk concert series. This collaboration presents exclusive video performances from nine artists filmed in their respective homelands, on the road and in exile all over the world. There will be three nights of concerts, each featuring three bands, on consecutive nights beginning Jan. 24 at 8 p.m. ET. The globalFEST team wrote the following biographical information about each performer.

Cui Jian, China
The most influential rock musician in China is Beijing-born, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and vocalist Cui Jian. The former leader of Chinese rock band Ado, Jian's solo music is continually embraced by new generations: his albums having sold more than 10 million copies in Asia. The Wall Street Journal said, "Cui Jian continues to be an inspiration for China's disenchanted youth." However, Jian's prime inspiration comes not from politics, but from personal issues. He said, "I talk about serious things in my heart and people's lives, including, of course, love. But, mostly it's about Chinese culture, the modern culture. They're not political songs. It's just the truth, the modern truth. I talk about our life in China."

SET LIST
"Fake Monk"
"Go On"
"Wild in the Snow"

MUSICIANS
Cui Jian: lead vocals, guitar
Liu Yuan: saxophone
Eddie Randriamampionona: guitar
Liu Yue: bass
Lu Chao: drums
Gao Xing: hand percussion
Wu Na: Chinese guqin
Zhou Tian: vocals
Li Yanan: vocals

CREDITS
Art Director: Cui Jian
Executive Producer: Yoyo
Executive Director: Ken Deng
Live Music Recording Engineer: Li Feng
Live Music Supervisor: Wang Zheng
Live Recordist: Zheng Xiaofei
Program: Wang Zheng
Live Monitor Sound Engineer: Xu Xuan
Audio Equipment Coordinator: Wang Chaojie
Sound Mixing/Mastering: Li Make
Musician Assistants: Yang Haitao, Gao Shuo
Videographers: Ken Deng, Li Bingwei, Xu Zhu, Li Qianpeng, Jiao Mingjie, Jin Siwei
Assistant: He Chang
Gaffer: Sun Qunliang
Assistant: Sun Xujie, Cao Yawei, Wang Xinqiao, Cao Junfei
Coordinator: Wang Zebin, Sira
Special thanks to East Shore Jazz Club

TINY DESK TEAM
Creative Director: Bob Boilen
Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin
Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Editing: Joshua Bryant
Tiny Desk Team: Marissa Lorusso, Hazel Cills, Ashley Pointer

GLOBALFEST TEAM
Co-Directors: Shanta Thake, Isabel Soffer, and Bill Bragin
2023 Curators: Shanta Thake, Isabel Soffer, Bill Bragin, and Meera Dugal
Event Producer: Ian Thake
Host: Angélique Kidjo
Legal Services: Tamizdat
Legal Services: Duane Morris
Video Production: Karim Tabbaa

FUNDERS:
The Mellon Foundation
The National Endowment for the Arts
NYC Department of Cultural Affairs

SPECIAL THANKS:
Ken Umezaki
Fabian Alsultany
Steven Kirkpatrick
David Komar