USA: Cambodian-American rock group "Dengue Fever" is finding success in California with its intercultural formula

Even as health officials in Asia warn of an outbreak of dengue fever, a group of California-based musicians are putting the term to their own use. Led by singer Chhom Nimol, who is herself part of a Cambodian musical dynasty, the band "Dengue Fever" has been generating an enthusiastic niche following along the west coast of the United States. Group members have made an effort to blend Cambodian melodies with California's surf-pop heritage, and have already garnered some critical success. Speaking to Reuters ahead of a gig in suburban Los Angeles, organist Ethan Holtzman said the musical fusion amounts to a kind of political statement. "After Pol Pot's regime, when they were like trying to extinguish all creativity, you know, put out music," he said, "I like the fact that we took a body of work that a lot of these people were killed it's like we're taking a body of work and putting it back up and putting life back into it. It's not like we're consciously trying to do that, that's just what we did, and I think it was a beautiful thing." The group have just released their second CD, entitled "Escape from Dragon House," which features their signature blend of 60's era party music with Nimol's melancholy Khmer-language vocals. Dengue Fever also have produced a music video for their song "Sni Bong," in which the singer explores some universal themes. "The song is about a handsome guy that comes into the club and is standing alone, not dancing, not drinking," she said. "And a woman comes along and says come and dance... why are you looking sad? So, it's about a handsome guy that a woman goes and talks to in a club." Nimol recently emigrated from Phnom Penh to Long Beach, where many Cambodians settled during recent decades. Access to the Los Angeles music scene proved more than beneficial, as Dengue Fever were able to make contact with several prominent music supervisors in Hollywood. The band has since been featured on the soundtrack to "Broken Flowers" (with Bill Murray), "Must Love Dogs" (with Diane Lane and John Cusack) and "City of Ghosts" (which featured Matt Dillon and was largely shot in Cambodia.) Now, though, the group has seemingly broken through with a tough crowd: Cambodian-Americans living in California. "What's nice, is that now the Cambodian community is starting to catch on to our music," says bassist Senon Williams. "So now we play shows and there's all these Cambodian people showing up, you know playing in San Francisco and Long Beach ... Cambodian people show up and start singing along to the covers that we're playing. And pretending to sing along to the originals."

ITN Source | September 22, 2005

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