In 2002, the M SHANGHAI STRING BAND got together in the basement of a Chinese bistro in Brooklyn to share good food and play some music. This acoustic-culinary combination was too special not to repeat, and the band (named after the restaurant) was born. Their debut album "Up From the Ground Below" was recorded in the restaurant's dining room. Its twenty songs were captured completely live in one day. At their CD release party, the MSSB played four live sets to a standing room only crowd. Brooklyn's best kept secret was out.
"The banjos spit fire, the acoustics soothe the soul, and the vocals tell honest tales. Every song from Up From the Ground Below is a perfect combo of old time American folk and the music as it stands today... a musical performance that is enduring." -Chris Lewis SHUT EYE
An adventurous take on Americana, the M SHANGHAI STRING BAND's songs are not easily classified. They are remeniscent of traditional roots music styles, yet innovative in their musical form and modern lyrical content. The dynamics range from barnstorming breakdowns to achingly beautiful ballads, expressing originality and simplicity in the same breath.
The MSSB have gained a reputation around the New York City area as a must-see live act. The band alternates from five to eleven players at any given show; a tight knit extended family that performs as a true ensemble. As machine-made, mistake-free music becomes the norm, the M SHANGHAI STRING BAND creates music the way it used to be: heartfelt performances on the human scale, recorded live with a sense of dangerous abandon. It's an old-fashioned idea rendered new, and the results are both vibrant and timeless.
Live videos from our "From the Air" CD Release party at Union Pool.
Directed/edited by Tati Nguyen,
Videography by Jeff Mertz, Benoit Michon, and Will Kenton.
Austin.. I have searched high and I have searched low. But I have found no decent discography for VPN. feel like filling in the blanks for an old grizzled music critic?
WOW! Thanks for being our new myspace friends! Something about the way your instruments and vocals combine with the songs you write sends goosebumps up my spine. Your music gives me an endorphin rush. :)
Mellowly yours, Candy "Parsley" of the Parsley & Sagebrush Band
Our EP is finished! Philippa, you sound amazing, singing and bowing! You brought so much to it. Hear for yourself on our My Space page. XO Matthew & Kim
Listen to the Cool As Folk show archive or view the playlist for this week’s program HERE. You'll hear a track from M. Shanghai String Band. It was another fun 2 hours on your radio.
Word on the street is y'all are in talks to do a show at Bearsville in April (and perhaps it will be the week of my sister Rachel's B-day (you might know her as Euterpe). That would be swell if it works out!
me and my sis' and our friend are taking a "road trip" to PA in march to see an AWESOME triple bill. hmb's, wiyos, and 2 man gent band. be better if it was a quadruple bill, with you guys.... but, like, whatever.
by the way dave, friend of mine lives in brookyln and is a big fan of alex battles and the whisky rebellion. you play with 'em, eh? didn't know that until recently. he didn't know about you guys, but he thought it was cool i knew who you were.....
I wanted to let you know, I'm hosting 15 MINUTES OF FAME - a FULL BAND (or solo!) Open Mic - and I would love it if you came to play! It starts on Wednesday Feb 27th, runs from 8 to Midnight (sign-up at 7:30) & is at Kenny's Castaways (157 Bleecker).
I don't know if you will ALL fit on the stage - but please, come out if you're around!
Thank you for having lil bourbon-filled me as a last minute addition on Saturday...thanks especially for dedicating the Angel song to me. My eyes rained through the whole thing. You guys are wonderful. Love, Kelli Rae
