Ting Bu Dong

 
L-R: Volker Wiedersheim, Atze Ton, Dennis Rea, Olli Klomp, James DeJoie

Photos  

Ting Bu Dong ‒ "I don't understand what I'm hearing," in Chinese ‒ is a special project with a rotating cast of international musicians who have worked together in Taiwan, China, Munich, and Seattle. Initially an instrumental quartet featuring guitarist Dennis Rea (Seattle), bassist / electronicist Andreas Vath aka Atze Ton (Munich), keyboardist Volker Wiedersheim (Hannover), and drummer Olli Klomp (Seattle), Ting Bu Dong performs a striking blend of adventurous rock, modern jazz, and electronic soundscapes composed by Dennis Rea, combined with tunes from Andreas Vath's electro-jazz project Chekov, unique adaptations of Chinese traditional themes, and plenty of fiery improvisation. The band members’ credits include work with such world-renowned musicians as Cui Jian, Hector Zazou, Han Bennink, Klaus Schulze, Nik Turner, and members of King Crimson, R.E.M., Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and the Sun Ra Arkestra.

The musicians all share a special interest in Taiwan and Chinese culture in general. Rea, Wiedersheim, and Vath lived in Tainan in the early 90s, where they performed original music in various bands. In 1991, Rea and Vath toured Mainland China with their band Identity Crisis, performing with Cui Jian and other key figures in the emerging Beijing rock music scene.

In 2005, Rea, Vath, Klomp, former Lemming Dynasty/future Iron Kim Style bassist Ryan Berg, and Seattle violinist Karl Scheer brought their musical projects Jetlegrs and Chekov to Taiwan for a tour that included appearances at Tainan’s May Jam Festival (with guitarist Axel Schunn) and the Living Room in Taipei. In 2007 Rea, Wiedersheim, and Klomp convened in Vath's native Munich to record and perform several of Rea's tunes. 

The band did a 10-date tour of Taiwan in April 2008 that included several sets by the reunited Identity Crisis with drummer Tom Vest and keyboardist Bryce Whitwam. In October 2009, the band reconvened in Seattle (minus Wiedersheim and with the addition of Seattle reed player James DeJoie and German guitarist Phil Rosplesch) for a live performance and a live-in-studio recording that was broadcast worldwide by Seattle's famed KEXP Radio.