Entries by Web Master

1/  Why are you interested in jazz music and when ? 

Patrick: Once a lecturer brought in class with a CD. She asked us to close our eyes, and listen.
“I love you porgy…….” While none of us knew who was singing, everyone was reveling in the music. We, as teenage boys, started to imagine the face of the owner of this beautiful voice. I have to admit luckily our lecturer did not let us look at the CD cover. Cos she was Ella Fitzgerald at the end….…(laugh). Anyway, this song takes me in….

Bon: It was about Gershwin for me as well. Way back to my University life, when I was preparing for my exam and getting bored. I listened to the “Best of George Gershwin” album. After listening to songs like “I got rhythm”, “Someone to watch over me”, I immediately knew that jazz music is my cup of tea.

Paul: We’ve strolled around between several kinds of music style including Pop, Rock, Funk, Blues..etc… , and finally I’ve found jazz as my life goal cuz’ I can find the richest combination in both harmonization and melodic approach in jazz music structure.

2/  How do you all learn jazz music and difficulties need to overcome..

Theory is the first problem to solve, and then how to translate our emotions from heart to fingers…
There’re always elements in jazz music that makes us feel both confused and inspired, and yet it takes time to understand. But we trumpet the genius of Miles Davis when he said "Do not fear mistakes, there are none.". The most difficult thing is about our attitude. It is not about playing a perfect piece. It never is. 

3/  What are the difficulties of being jazz musicians in Hong Kong? The environment, education, resources, support, audience etc...

There's always a saying that, "Music is only a business in Hong Kong". When most Hong Kong people are incepted with all the commercial music from TV and radio, it is not easy to be aware of a group of musicians who play jazz.
There are always many alternatives in life that we could think of, and yet we may not be aware of them. Jazz musicians are adventurers who try to show us all how life could be in such a different way. It would take time to let such a seed grow in a society, but I am optimistic that more people would join the adventure with jazz musicians, when they knows more about life sooner or later. 


4/  Your favorite jazz muscians and jazz works...

Paul : Joe Pass, George Benson, Bireli Lagrene are my all time favorite guitarists, and I love their works as well. 
Bon: George Gershwin, Oscar Peterson, Joshua Redman, Cannonball Adderley and Paquito D'Rivera.

Favorite albums: Oscar Peterson's "Saturday Night at the Blue Note", Cannonball Adderley Quintet in Chicago, Paquito D'Rivera's "Reunion"
Patrick: Progy and Bess, Ella and Louis, Chet Baker is my all time favorite. Jeff Hamilton and his "Pair of Brushes", Buddy Rich’s "Stroke of Course", Gene Krupa’s "Sing Sing Sing"…

5/  What are you going to play in coming concert?
Standards, lots of inspired notes and pop songs may be. 

Date: 17 September 2010, Friday

Time: 10pm.

Venue: Yaumatei Kubrick 

(油麻地眾坊街3號駿發花園h2地舖 tel: 2384 8929 www.kubrick.com.hk)

Ticket: $100 ($90 for BC members) with one drink

Co-presented by Hong Kong Jazz Association and Kubrick

流走爵士樂---Generation X and beyond
日期：2010年8月8日(星期日)
時間：下午三時至四時半
地點：Kubrick Bookstore 油麻地眾坊街3號駿發花園h2地舖

主辦者：香港爵士樂會 (Hong Kong Jazz Association)

爵士樂的發展已過百年，在不同的地區國家散播萌芽，在不同的文化土壤下孕育衍化出各自獨特的爵士樂風貌。現代的與傳統的爵士樂有很不同的時代性取向，新的媒體、世界文化共融等觀念糅合了本土文化特質。爵士樂除了在美國這個發源和根據地繼續燦爛外，亦在亞洲非洲等地發展出精采的音樂語言。而歐洲更是緊貼美國，呈現出更多元化的面貌。 一場金融海嘯把全球最大的爵士樂組織，美國的IAJE(International Association for Jazz Educators)拖垮，國際爵士樂盛事由德國的Jazz Ahead取代了。甚至希臘債務危機又令歐洲諸國緊縮開支。爵士樂的生存像已受到嚴重威脋....

講者：李繼堃先生(Peter Lee)-----香港爵士樂會主席、資深爵士樂策劃及推廣者

內容概要：
1. 簡述當代歐美以及亞洲的爵士樂發展
2. 爵士樂在亞洲發展的概况
3. 香港國際爵士樂節2010簡介
將會參加音樂節的樂手
Rusconi (Swizterland)

Stanley Jordan (USA)
Joey Calderazzo (USA)