Son of James, a born-and-bred Vancouver Chinatown Rock band, blends the soulful sounds of rock and funk with the mystical sounds of Chinese instrumentation. Like a big rig rolling down a dusty highway carrying a cargo full of silk, Son of James calls their sound “Chynatruckerfunk”.
Shon Wong, the performer known as Son of James, was born and raised in Vancouver, BC. Growing up with a family of Chinese Opera actors and performers, music and art has always been a big part of his life. Shon would listen to classical Chinese music at home in his downtown family apartment. Down the halls, neighbours would blast rock music heard easily through the walls, including music by Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Guns N’ Roses, and Van Halen. Wong would find himself flipping back and forth between the musical environments, eager to catch the songs of the day from both home and hallways.
Son of James includes Michelle Kwan on Guzheng, Adam Richards on guitar/bass, Jonathan Reichert on guitar, Johnny Walsh on bass, Mark Hoeppner on keys, Dave Say on sax, Eric Tsang on Sax, Jason Overy on drums, Ed Whelan on drums, and Erica Ullyot on vocals.
Name:
Son of James (Shon Wong)
Genre:
Chynatruckerfunk
Founded:
2013
# of Albums:
2 ep’s
Latest Album:
Chynatruckerfunk (ep)
Latest Single:
Come On
Latest Video:
Favourite musician growing up:
Jimi Hendrix
Favourite musician now:
Whiskey Myers
Guilty pleasure song:
Rod Stewart, “Broken Arrow”
Live show ritual:
Pre Show Meal with the band
EP or LP?
EP
Early bird or night owl?
Early Bird
Road or studio?
Studio
Any shows or albums coming up?
Light Up Chinatown – Chinatown – Sat, Aug 24th, 7 pm
Where can we follow you?
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Rapid Fire Local Questions:
What is your favourite local restaurant?
New Town Bakery
What is your favourite street in your city and why?
Pender st. between Abbott and Main. Lots of memories on that block. My dad’s old shop in Sam Kee Building, Dragon Dancing on Chinese New Year as a teenager, Banquet dinners and dim sum with family at Ming’s, Grocery shopping with mom, walking through the Chinese Classical Garden with my gf, buying cantopop CD’s at the CD shop, right up till today where I go for Chinese breakfast at New Town Bakery.
What is your favourite park in your city and why?
Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden. I just love how this park feels and looks different in every season and weather. The energy and vibe of this park change when it rains, snows, suns and falls. It’s really special to me. Also, this park is where I performed my first ever live show. It’s more than just a park to me.
What is your favourite music venue in your city?
Tyrant Studios. No other venue has the history Tyrant has. You can smell it, feel it and hear it all over the walls of this historic venue. It’s everything you want when you watch live music. It just adds to the experience.
What is your favourite music store in your city?
Tapestry Music
