Beijing-based The Dublingers are the most unlikely looking Irish band in the world. The creative combo is led by Frenchman Nico Torrese and made up of four other Chinese musicians. At first sight, the band would never be confused with the legendary Irish folk group The Dubliners.
But close your eyes, and their Irish sound is as authentic as can be making them very much in-demand for the St Patrick's Day celebrations.
Ireland's national day is traditionally celebrated on March 17 in pubs around the world with singing and dancing, stout and whiskey.
This year will be no different and The Dublingers expect to play at least five ceilidhs (Gaelic social gatherings) in five days, including the annual Irish Ball and the Wangfujing Irish Street Parade, which gives the band an official stamp of approval from events organizer the Irish Embassy.
"It's nice to be known," says Torrese (banjo, mandolin) who is also a member of acoustic jazz ensemble The No Name Trio, along with Wang Yi (accordion).
The other Dublingers are Zhang Yang (fiddle), Li Hong (bodhran and percussion) and Da Fei (guitar).
"Some time before St Patrick's Day last year some pub owner asked for Irish music and we were game, so we got some music and extra musicians," recalls the Frenchman who started the band.
The Dublingers have been gigging regularly on Beijing's pub circuit ever since and were even picked by the Irish tourism board to promote the nation at the Volvo Ocean Race in Qingdao, Shandong Province.
A Chinese Irish band isn't as strange as it sounds, Torrese says, adding musical authenticity is more important than nationality.
"There's no Irish in the band, but it's real Irish music," he says.
Torrese came to China five years ago for a new experience and first studied Chinese. Today he teaches guitar in Beijing and says he used to visit Ireland up to three times a year for more than a decade. He discovered ballads and reels by "standing around in pubs for hours listening to them".
"I had a band in France and we played Irish music in Ireland. Of course, it was fun and the reaction was really good. Irish audiences are very enthusiastic," he says.
"We work from authentic scores and it's only when Da Fei or I sing that we sound a little bit Chinese or French.
"Usually when we play, after an hour, there is someone from Ireland who will come up to the stage and sing some songs.
"With their Irish accents it sounds pretty good."
Da Fei, who imagines the Emerald Isle's rolling green fields when he plays guitar, says there is nothing dissonant about Chinese people playing Irish music.
"We live in an international society. A Chinese person playing the blues or Irish music isn't that special. Lots of Chinese like Irish music, so it's natural," he says.
Accordionist Wang Yi has been studying the instrument since she was four years old, when her parents decided on her musical path because they liked the teacher.
After graduating from Tianjin Conservatory of Music she went to France and studied with the renowned accordionist Frederic Deschamps.
She says Irish music is passionate and the structure is fairly simple, with similarities to Chinese music in terms of melody and chord structure.
Wang says she understands French culture a bit but has been developing a love for all things Irish since the Dublingers were formed.
"I didn't celebrate St Patrick's much before last year but I knew that Irish liked to get together and drink and wear green hats."
The last item makes her laugh because wearing a green hat in Chinese culture means that your partner is being unfaithful.
Torrese, who prefers Murphy's beer to Guinness and enjoys a drop of Bushmills whiskey, says the Dublingers are a break from teaching guitar and playing jazz, what he calls his "day job".
"Playing the mandolin and banjo is totally different, like a holiday. Of course I have to practice a lot, it's like sport, but it's good to have a break."
He says Chinese audiences appreciate Irish music because the ballads and melodies sound familiar.
"Then there are the faster songs, which have a lot of energy," he says.
"These kinds of songs don't really exist in Chinese music, but we get a pretty good response, people tap their feet and dance, especially after a few drinks."
Paddy O'Shea's publican and amateur musicologist Karl Logan has lined up the Dublingers to play at his Beijing bar.
Logan is very impressed by the band's Irish authenticity.
"Nico has been to Ireland and knows what he's doing," he says.
"It sounds fresh and well rehearsed to me. What might make them even better was a bit of improvisation - and the addition of a set of spoons."
But close your eyes, and their Irish sound is as authentic as can be making them very much in-demand for the St Patrick's Day celebrations.
Ireland's national day is traditionally celebrated on March 17 in pubs around the world with singing and dancing, stout and whiskey.
This year will be no different and The Dublingers expect to play at least five ceilidhs (Gaelic social gatherings) in five days, including the annual Irish Ball and the Wangfujing Irish Street Parade, which gives the band an official stamp of approval from events organizer the Irish Embassy.
"It's nice to be known," says Torrese (banjo, mandolin) who is also a member of acoustic jazz ensemble The No Name Trio, along with Wang Yi (accordion).
The other Dublingers are Zhang Yang (fiddle), Li Hong (bodhran and percussion) and Da Fei (guitar).
"Some time before St Patrick's Day last year some pub owner asked for Irish music and we were game, so we got some music and extra musicians," recalls the Frenchman who started the band.
The Dublingers have been gigging regularly on Beijing's pub circuit ever since and were even picked by the Irish tourism board to promote the nation at the Volvo Ocean Race in Qingdao, Shandong Province.
A Chinese Irish band isn't as strange as it sounds, Torrese says, adding musical authenticity is more important than nationality.
"There's no Irish in the band, but it's real Irish music," he says.
Torrese came to China five years ago for a new experience and first studied Chinese. Today he teaches guitar in Beijing and says he used to visit Ireland up to three times a year for more than a decade. He discovered ballads and reels by "standing around in pubs for hours listening to them".
"I had a band in France and we played Irish music in Ireland. Of course, it was fun and the reaction was really good. Irish audiences are very enthusiastic," he says.
"We work from authentic scores and it's only when Da Fei or I sing that we sound a little bit Chinese or French.
"Usually when we play, after an hour, there is someone from Ireland who will come up to the stage and sing some songs.
"With their Irish accents it sounds pretty good."
Da Fei, who imagines the Emerald Isle's rolling green fields when he plays guitar, says there is nothing dissonant about Chinese people playing Irish music.
"We live in an international society. A Chinese person playing the blues or Irish music isn't that special. Lots of Chinese like Irish music, so it's natural," he says.
Accordionist Wang Yi has been studying the instrument since she was four years old, when her parents decided on her musical path because they liked the teacher.
After graduating from Tianjin Conservatory of Music she went to France and studied with the renowned accordionist Frederic Deschamps.
She says Irish music is passionate and the structure is fairly simple, with similarities to Chinese music in terms of melody and chord structure.
Wang says she understands French culture a bit but has been developing a love for all things Irish since the Dublingers were formed.
"I didn't celebrate St Patrick's much before last year but I knew that Irish liked to get together and drink and wear green hats."
The last item makes her laugh because wearing a green hat in Chinese culture means that your partner is being unfaithful.
Torrese, who prefers Murphy's beer to Guinness and enjoys a drop of Bushmills whiskey, says the Dublingers are a break from teaching guitar and playing jazz, what he calls his "day job".
"Playing the mandolin and banjo is totally different, like a holiday. Of course I have to practice a lot, it's like sport, but it's good to have a break."
He says Chinese audiences appreciate Irish music because the ballads and melodies sound familiar.
"Then there are the faster songs, which have a lot of energy," he says.
"These kinds of songs don't really exist in Chinese music, but we get a pretty good response, people tap their feet and dance, especially after a few drinks."
Paddy O'Shea's publican and amateur musicologist Karl Logan has lined up the Dublingers to play at his Beijing bar.
Logan is very impressed by the band's Irish authenticity.
"Nico has been to Ireland and knows what he's doing," he says.
"It sounds fresh and well rehearsed to me. What might make them even better was a bit of improvisation - and the addition of a set of spoons."
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