Wednesday, March 10, 2010
How cool!
I'm both honored and humbled to be mentioned twice as a jazz figure in this article called "Hong Kong's Nascent Jazz Scene" in the Asia Sentinel, thanks to writer John Lloyd.
"Italian restaurant Grappa's Cellar, in the basement of Central's Jardine House, hosts a couple of jazz nights a month, regularly featuring the Stray Katz big band, guitarist Eugene Pao, and blues harmonica maestro Henry Chung. Like Backstage, Grappa's packages these nights with meal specials.
In Tsim Sha Tsui, a rare spot for jazz in Kowloon, boutique hotel The Luxe Manor's Dada Bar and Lounge is selling itself as an upscale jazz bar, and it has recently hosted gigs by Henry Chung, pianist-singer Howard McCrary, and Cantopop producer-songwriter-turned-jazz cat Hanjin Tan. It's too soon to assess how successful it will ultimately be in that niche. And then there's tourist favourite Ned Kelly's Last Stand, which is always packed and every night shows off Dixieland combo the China Coast Jazzmen, featuring a frontman singer and trombonist who frequently downs a pint in one gulp mid-performance."
It's so cool to be part of the HK jazz community.
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"Italian restaurant Grappa's Cellar, in the basement of Central's Jardine House, hosts a couple of jazz nights a month, regularly featuring the Stray Katz big band, guitarist Eugene Pao, and blues harmonica maestro Henry Chung. Like Backstage, Grappa's packages these nights with meal specials.
In Tsim Sha Tsui, a rare spot for jazz in Kowloon, boutique hotel The Luxe Manor's Dada Bar and Lounge is selling itself as an upscale jazz bar, and it has recently hosted gigs by Henry Chung, pianist-singer Howard McCrary, and Cantopop producer-songwriter-turned-jazz cat Hanjin Tan. It's too soon to assess how successful it will ultimately be in that niche. And then there's tourist favourite Ned Kelly's Last Stand, which is always packed and every night shows off Dixieland combo the China Coast Jazzmen, featuring a frontman singer and trombonist who frequently downs a pint in one gulp mid-performance."
It's so cool to be part of the HK jazz community.
Labels: Henry Chung, jazz in Hong Kong
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Friday, February 19, 2010
爵士迷不愛盜版 音樂市場大黑馬
更新日期: 2010/01/15 22:40 錢怡君
根據國際唱片業協會的統計數字，去年全球有420億個音樂檔案被下載，不過其中9成半是非法的，這個數字代表唱片業的處境艱難，不過香港唱片業者發現，爵士樂的銷售量一直在穩定成長，有唱片行甚至有一半的銷售量，是來自爵士樂唱片，原因是什麼？一起去看看。
2009年10月初，香港舉行了第2屆國際爵士音樂節，主辦單位安排了20場爵士音樂現場表演，上座率達到了7成，連主辦單位都有點小驚訝。主辦單位KENNY MATSUURA：「經濟差的時候，好像20年代末，又或者像去年，當經濟差時，不知為何，人們會更愛聽音樂。」
經濟越差人們越寄情於音樂，這是有脈絡可循的，爵士樂是在第一次世界大戰以後，在美國新奧爾良開始流行，1929年美國經濟大蕭條，爵士樂在電台廣播放送，當時飽受生活折磨的人，很喜歡聽這類音樂放鬆一下。
香港爵士樂會主席李繼：「歐美市場已是很平穩，而且大量生產，需要尋找出口市場，於是來到亞洲，看到亞洲市場因為富裕了，舉辦了更多這類型活動。」
於是大量的西方歌手來到亞洲找機會，今年亞洲最少有18個城市，包括東京、上海、台中、雅加達等舉行爵士音樂節；一般人印象中，屬於小眾的爵士樂市場，開始在亞洲壯大起來了，有人從這裡看到了商機。
鍾一匡是一個例子，他跟他的弟弟，最近自費製作了一張唱片，他們將專輯定位為爵士樂「發燒碟」，這張CD曾經一度高據香港唱片店，爵士樂銷售量榜冠軍。
藍調口琴演奏家鍾一匡：「其實我們有考慮過，會否定位為流行曲，還是爵士樂，其實這是一個市場策略，我們知道所謂的『發燒友』，他們也鍾情爵士音樂，不會(非法下載)音樂，所以他們也是買唱片的一群。」
對於正在萎縮的唱片業來說，製作這類型的音樂，可能是一個趨勢，也可能是條出路。
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根據國際唱片業協會的統計數字，去年全球有420億個音樂檔案被下載，不過其中9成半是非法的，這個數字代表唱片業的處境艱難，不過香港唱片業者發現，爵士樂的銷售量一直在穩定成長，有唱片行甚至有一半的銷售量，是來自爵士樂唱片，原因是什麼？一起去看看。
2009年10月初，香港舉行了第2屆國際爵士音樂節，主辦單位安排了20場爵士音樂現場表演，上座率達到了7成，連主辦單位都有點小驚訝。主辦單位KENNY MATSUURA：「經濟差的時候，好像20年代末，又或者像去年，當經濟差時，不知為何，人們會更愛聽音樂。」
經濟越差人們越寄情於音樂，這是有脈絡可循的，爵士樂是在第一次世界大戰以後，在美國新奧爾良開始流行，1929年美國經濟大蕭條，爵士樂在電台廣播放送，當時飽受生活折磨的人，很喜歡聽這類音樂放鬆一下。
香港爵士樂會主席李繼：「歐美市場已是很平穩，而且大量生產，需要尋找出口市場，於是來到亞洲，看到亞洲市場因為富裕了，舉辦了更多這類型活動。」
於是大量的西方歌手來到亞洲找機會，今年亞洲最少有18個城市，包括東京、上海、台中、雅加達等舉行爵士音樂節；一般人印象中，屬於小眾的爵士樂市場，開始在亞洲壯大起來了，有人從這裡看到了商機。
鍾一匡是一個例子，他跟他的弟弟，最近自費製作了一張唱片，他們將專輯定位為爵士樂「發燒碟」，這張CD曾經一度高據香港唱片店，爵士樂銷售量榜冠軍。
藍調口琴演奏家鍾一匡：「其實我們有考慮過，會否定位為流行曲，還是爵士樂，其實這是一個市場策略，我們知道所謂的『發燒友』，他們也鍾情爵士音樂，不會(非法下載)音樂，所以他們也是買唱片的一群。」
對於正在萎縮的唱片業來說，製作這類型的音樂，可能是一個趨勢，也可能是條出路。
Labels: Henry Chung, jazz, jazz in Hong Kong, Roger Chung, The Chimes, 鍾一匡, 鍾一諾, 鐘聲
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Friday, December 12, 2008
The Lovers, the Dreamers & Me
Finally, a writeup of the Rebecca Pan x at17 "Jazz Up for the Party" concert. Including hte set list too. Very worthy of check it out here!
Check out my interview of at17 here.
That seems to be a bevy of attractive concerts comcing up: Leehom x HKPO, Lisa Ono, Chick Corea & John McLaughlin, etc.
I've interviewed a few musicians now. It's time to share my thoughts of them.
I recently interviewed Jane Monheit. She was a bit short with the answers. She seemed unsure of her new project.
On the contrary, Stacey Kent was full of life and energy. She was especially fond of her new CD and says she has nurtured it and is watching it grow.
My all-time VIPs: Yao Lee, Howard McCrary, Uncle Ray Cordeiro, Teddy Robin, Lowell Lo
Great and humble: McCoy Tyner,The Yellowjackets, Mimi Lo, Jennifer Palor, Scotty Wright
Can be a little more enthusiastic: Bianca Wu
A bit short on the answers: Sadao Watanabe, Shunzo Onho, Heidi Krenn
In short, I'm a lucky guy!
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Check out my interview of at17 here.
That seems to be a bevy of attractive concerts comcing up: Leehom x HKPO, Lisa Ono, Chick Corea & John McLaughlin, etc.
I've interviewed a few musicians now. It's time to share my thoughts of them.
I recently interviewed Jane Monheit. She was a bit short with the answers. She seemed unsure of her new project.
On the contrary, Stacey Kent was full of life and energy. She was especially fond of her new CD and says she has nurtured it and is watching it grow.
My all-time VIPs: Yao Lee, Howard McCrary, Uncle Ray Cordeiro, Teddy Robin, Lowell Lo
Great and humble: McCoy Tyner,The Yellowjackets, Mimi Lo, Jennifer Palor, Scotty Wright
Can be a little more enthusiastic: Bianca Wu
A bit short on the answers: Sadao Watanabe, Shunzo Onho, Heidi Krenn
In short, I'm a lucky guy!
Labels: at17, gypsy jazz, Jane Monheit, jazz in Hong Kong, Rebecca Pan, Stacey Kent
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Tuesday, July 01, 2008
I still love the blues...
My three-month tenure at the RTHK Radio 4 has come to an end. I'm quite satisfied with the song selections that I've lent to the programs, only to find a few essential artists missing from the mix, e.g. John Coltrane, Miles Davis. Oh well, you can't really include everything. But all the songs were chosen from my private collection and at some point in my life had a rather profound impact. Most of all, I was back being a DJ again, after my 14 year absence from WNMH, FM91.5, Gill, Keene, and Brattleboro. What a nostalgic feeling!
I've been involved in a lot of commercial releases lately. I've been quite far from the blues. But I still love the blues. The blues is still part of me. I miss playing blues with the likes of Clarence Turner, Bill Heid, Big Joe Maher, Deanna Bogart (congrats to her for winning best horn for the Blues Awards!). I miss playing with authentic blues players. That's the price you have to pay for working in a law firm in HK.
Jazz-wise, I haven't come across any impressive local acts lately. The Shunzo Ohno gig at the Fringe club was sadly a self-indulged disappointment. Come to think of it, I think the best jazz was when I happened to hop into Juliette's Wine Bar some 9 months ago when I encountered a nice groovy local trio. They were "in sync" and knew each other well musically. Good music doesn't require big names; it just needs chemistry.
I have no concrete idea of I want to do next musically (I never do). But good things are due to come. So stay tuned, and be fascinated!
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I've been involved in a lot of commercial releases lately. I've been quite far from the blues. But I still love the blues. The blues is still part of me. I miss playing blues with the likes of Clarence Turner, Bill Heid, Big Joe Maher, Deanna Bogart (congrats to her for winning best horn for the Blues Awards!). I miss playing with authentic blues players. That's the price you have to pay for working in a law firm in HK.
Jazz-wise, I haven't come across any impressive local acts lately. The Shunzo Ohno gig at the Fringe club was sadly a self-indulged disappointment. Come to think of it, I think the best jazz was when I happened to hop into Juliette's Wine Bar some 9 months ago when I encountered a nice groovy local trio. They were "in sync" and knew each other well musically. Good music doesn't require big names; it just needs chemistry.
I have no concrete idea of I want to do next musically (I never do). But good things are due to come. So stay tuned, and be fascinated!
Labels: authentic blues, Blues Awards, jazz in Hong Kong, Jazzing Up, RTHK Radio 4, WNMH
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Friday, September 07, 2007
Let me write about music
Someone once told me that I write best about music. Let me do that.
I don't know why I haven't written about music lately. Maybe I'm not in the mood. In fact, I haven't really *listened* to any music closely lately, be it CD or live performances. I've been playing, but I haven't been actively listening. My life has been pre-occupied with some other stuff, such as work! Work?! Pretty amazing, innit?
Last night, I finally got to listen to an impressive concert by the Roy Hargrove Quintet at City Hall. It was a semi-fantastic show. I saw Roy four years ago touring with Herbie Hancock and the late Michael Brecker. Roy was fantastic back then. Standing alongside the two giants, Roy did not show any stage fright. Instead, he played his ass off in the rather limited number of solos that he had. He gave his best and stole the show but also gave credence to the two stars.
Now he was in HK and he led his own rather unknown band. He did his thing again. This time, he gave us a variety of stuff he'd like to do. The encore was a Lee Morgan-esque soul jazz number, evidently paying tribute to the underrated master, showing the audience that he was more in tune with Morgan than with the more revered Miles Davis, and for good reasons. The band swung as it needed to be, and it was solid overall.
This makes me digress to the state of jazz in HK. I'm no expert or connoisseur to comment on the jazz scene here as I'm relatively new to it, but I made some observations.
There are a number of very talented musicians dominating the jazz scene in HK, and they should be applauded for their effort. The scene in HK is a close-knit one, kind of like a family, where musicians help each other out. They even go to junk trips together from time to time.
Musically, there are two major things lacking in HK: swing and ballads. That is not to say, the HK jazzicians can't do them; they just don't or won't. Some may even think those genres are below them. This cannot be further from the truth.
I remember talking to Jason Cheng and Tom Nunan at Grappa's one afternoon and we came up with the conclusion that jazz isn't jazz if ain't got that swing. I completely agree. In fact, I've been to concerts where they bored me to death with what I call the "high intellect" or "jazz goes to college" stuff. The swing thing was lackluster.
Not to elevate myself, some of the blues concerts I did with Paul Candelaria and Joel Haggard swung much harder than most of the jazz shows I've seen in HK combined. The swingingest band was surprisingly at my friend Ernest's wedding featuring Yoyung, Justin Siu and Hassan. They swung their ass off that night and we got some of the best music one could possibly get at weddings or otherwise. Jennifer's band at Cafe Deco swings pretty hard too except the volume is so soft because they want their clientele to eat and talk.
Also, I have not heard a decent "ballad" by any jazz musician in HK. They either do bebop licks or sing "Spain" out of tune again and again or join the yell-fest at some jam session trying to out-scream each other or see who can imitate Whitney Houston the best. What we fail to realize is that sometimes it's a just a good feeling when we sit down, compose ourselves, and sing or play the ballad like it is.
I remember going to a Joe Lovano concert at Regatta Bar in Boston. As Joe played "Someone To Watch Over Me" melodically, I thought to myself, "That's a ballad." HK jazz musicians should think hard about that.
Other than that, the HK jazz scene is really not bad, compared to the rest of Asia. At least we have some world-class guitarists and pianists in town. However, we need more upright bass players and drummers though. And we need more upright bassists for blues gigs, too. Like I said before, the blues is supposed to be with an upright bass (See Willie Dixon).
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I don't know why I haven't written about music lately. Maybe I'm not in the mood. In fact, I haven't really *listened* to any music closely lately, be it CD or live performances. I've been playing, but I haven't been actively listening. My life has been pre-occupied with some other stuff, such as work! Work?! Pretty amazing, innit?
Last night, I finally got to listen to an impressive concert by the Roy Hargrove Quintet at City Hall. It was a semi-fantastic show. I saw Roy four years ago touring with Herbie Hancock and the late Michael Brecker. Roy was fantastic back then. Standing alongside the two giants, Roy did not show any stage fright. Instead, he played his ass off in the rather limited number of solos that he had. He gave his best and stole the show but also gave credence to the two stars.
Now he was in HK and he led his own rather unknown band. He did his thing again. This time, he gave us a variety of stuff he'd like to do. The encore was a Lee Morgan-esque soul jazz number, evidently paying tribute to the underrated master, showing the audience that he was more in tune with Morgan than with the more revered Miles Davis, and for good reasons. The band swung as it needed to be, and it was solid overall.
This makes me digress to the state of jazz in HK. I'm no expert or connoisseur to comment on the jazz scene here as I'm relatively new to it, but I made some observations.
There are a number of very talented musicians dominating the jazz scene in HK, and they should be applauded for their effort. The scene in HK is a close-knit one, kind of like a family, where musicians help each other out. They even go to junk trips together from time to time.
Musically, there are two major things lacking in HK: swing and ballads. That is not to say, the HK jazzicians can't do them; they just don't or won't. Some may even think those genres are below them. This cannot be further from the truth.
I remember talking to Jason Cheng and Tom Nunan at Grappa's one afternoon and we came up with the conclusion that jazz isn't jazz if ain't got that swing. I completely agree. In fact, I've been to concerts where they bored me to death with what I call the "high intellect" or "jazz goes to college" stuff. The swing thing was lackluster.
Not to elevate myself, some of the blues concerts I did with Paul Candelaria and Joel Haggard swung much harder than most of the jazz shows I've seen in HK combined. The swingingest band was surprisingly at my friend Ernest's wedding featuring Yoyung, Justin Siu and Hassan. They swung their ass off that night and we got some of the best music one could possibly get at weddings or otherwise. Jennifer's band at Cafe Deco swings pretty hard too except the volume is so soft because they want their clientele to eat and talk.
Also, I have not heard a decent "ballad" by any jazz musician in HK. They either do bebop licks or sing "Spain" out of tune again and again or join the yell-fest at some jam session trying to out-scream each other or see who can imitate Whitney Houston the best. What we fail to realize is that sometimes it's a just a good feeling when we sit down, compose ourselves, and sing or play the ballad like it is.
I remember going to a Joe Lovano concert at Regatta Bar in Boston. As Joe played "Someone To Watch Over Me" melodically, I thought to myself, "That's a ballad." HK jazz musicians should think hard about that.
Other than that, the HK jazz scene is really not bad, compared to the rest of Asia. At least we have some world-class guitarists and pianists in town. However, we need more upright bass players and drummers though. And we need more upright bassists for blues gigs, too. Like I said before, the blues is supposed to be with an upright bass (See Willie Dixon).
Labels: jazz in Hong Kong, live music, music
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