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| All that jazz: Saxophonist Tran Manh Tuan and the Saigon Big Band will perform at the HCM City Opera House to celebrate the New Year on January 17. — Photo courtesy Tran Manh Tuan |
HCM CITY (VNS) — Well-known saxophonist Tran Manh Tuan and his jazz group, the Saigon Big Band, will entertain HCM City fans with a concert at the Opera House on January 17.
The Tran Manh Tuan&the Saigon Big Band – A New Year's Celebration concert will include the debut performance of Saigon Big Band, the first of its kind in HCM City.
In the first part of the show, the 20-member band will play Tuan's compositions, which are a mixture of jazz and traditional Vietnamese music.
Viet Nam's leading dan tranh (zither) musician Hai Phuong and dan kim (two-string musical instrument) player Anh Tan will perfrom with Tuan and the band.
Classic jazz songs for the big band will be presented during the second part of the show.
Jazz singer Tuyet Loan, known as the Vietnamese queen of jazz, will show off her strong and clear voice in the show, accompanied by a dance performance of the Saigon Swing Cats.
For fans of late composer Trinh Cong Son, Tuan will present his song Con Mat Con Lai (The Remaining Eye), a remix in a jazz style, during a special part of the show titled Trinh Cong Son in the Mood of Jazz.
He said he hopes the performance will surprise fans of both jazz and the late composer.
Tuan has also invited veteran percussion player Ngoc Quan and bass player Thanh Tan to perform with the band.
The concert will be held at the Opera House at 7 Lam Son Square in District 1. Tickets range from VND200,000 to VND1 million (U$10-50) and are available at the venue and the Sax ‘n' Art Club on 28 Le Loi Street in District 1. For reservations, please call 0903431000.
A meeting will be held before the concert to introduce the public to the big band and other performers. To bring jazz to more people, especially youth, Tuan and several friends have decided to establish the band, which includes lecturers and students working and studying at music schools in the city, as well as two foreign musicians, Phil James from the UK and Mike Cheong from South Korea.
"The passion for jazz music pulled us together, and each member has tried their best for the concert," Tuan said. "We have spent four months rehearsing."
Jazz singer Tuyet Loan said she was excited about performing with the group.
After the New Year's concert, the Saigon Big Band will perform outdoors in front of the Opera House on the first Saturday of every month.
"The monthly performance will motivate us to continue on our road, which may have difficulties because jazz music is not that popular here," Tuan said. — VNS