The comebacks of July: guitar, saxophone, jazz
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In Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh, this July will mark long-awaited comebacks, both geographically and professionally of Vietnamese music veterans with a myriad of shows of all genres.
Stirring much expectation from classical music fans is “The twins return”, a guitar concert to be held at HCMC’s Phu Nhuan Cultural Center on July 19.
Put on by twin sisters and classical guitarists Phuong Thu – Phuong Thao, the show is a return to music ten years after the two most outstanding of a very few female guitarists in Vietnam parted ways with their last stage performance.
While the younger Phuong Thao keeps her passion alive by teaching guitar at the Ho Chi Minh City Conservatory of Music, Phuong Thu chose a different path and became a professional accountant.
But Thu said her work with numbers had never stopped her from practicing guitar at home every day for the last decade and this show has been incubated by the sisters for 5 years.
“We have started practicing for this comeback for a year now,” Thao agreed.
The pair will play solo in the first part of “The twins return” and duet for the second half, a thing they have done since the pair were 6, and now get to do it again after a decade.
Another show that has created a buzz of excitement in the music industry is “Que nha” (Hometown) by the world-renowned French-Vietnamese jazz artist Nguyen Le to take place July 12 in Hanoi.
The show, which is the fifth one of the series “Music on the Roof” that brings new musical experimentation in a wide range of genres to Hanoi’s musical fans, will feature Nguyen Le alongside Van Anh, a dan tranh (Vietnamese zither) artist, saxophonist Hong Kien, pianist Tuan Nam, singer Tung Duong and song composer Huy Tuan.
“Que nha” marks the second time Nguyen Le, French by nationality and Vietnamese by origin, comes back and performs in Vietnam, after his first show with singer Huong Thanh took the stage by storm 6 years ago in a world music show.
Jazz musician Nguyen Le
Born to Vietnamese parents in France in 1959, Nguyen Le is a versatile artist who can play various instruments and different kinds of music such as rock and funk.
Le however is best known internationally as an outstanding jazz player who “marries” classical American music with traditional music of other cultures such as Vietnam.
His “Tales from Vietnam” album released in 1996, dubbed a “masterpiece” by the American JazzTimes magazine, won numerous international awards the same year.
Composer Huy Tuan said music professionals have been looking for Le’s show for long, as he is one among very few Vietnamese musicians that has actually acquired an international status.
Besides his signature music works, Le will coordinate with quirky singer Tung Duong who will sing his hits with a different arrangement put together by the jazz artist.
Another Jazz show to look forward to this week will be held today at Hanoi Opera House.
Famous jazz artist, saxophonist Quyen Thien Dac, has come back to Vietnam to put on a show in gratitude to artist Quyen Van Minh, his father, also a leading saxophonist in Vietnam and the first teacher of Dac.
In the concert celebrating his father’s birthday, Dac will play world classics from My one and only love, Work song, Now’s the time to his self-composed pieces in the latter half of the show.
Dac is a lecturer on saxophone at the Vietnam National Academy of Music and currently pursuing his master degree at the Malmo Academy of Music in Sweden.
