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About recording of "Birth / Quyen Van Minh"
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| What
you are listening to is the first phenomenal recording of Vietnamese
Jazz ever to be presented to the world. Quyen Van Minh - originator and maestro of Vietnamese jazz - taught himself about the jazz saxophone after encountering jazz on the American radio and BBC during the Vietnam War. Years after the war, he became the first jazz/saxophone instructor at the Hanoi National Conservatory of Music. There he taught young musician - mostly teenagers - how to develop their own style of jazz, unique to Vietnam. Now he performs live every night at his Jazz Club, Quan Nhac Jazz, which is the first and only genuine Jazz Club in Vietnam. Minh had first experimented mixing traditional Vietnamese themes with jazz over 10 years ago. Since then, he felt the need to create his own style as a Vietnamese saxophonist and composer in order to be heard by listeners around the world. In this album, you will experience a whole new style of jazz, which is close to the Vietnamese heart, but exotic to foreign listeners. Note that the music is performed by an ordinary jazz combo without any traditional instruments. |
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| 1.
Ngay Hoi Mua (Audition !) |
A festive song for the peasant farmers during the harvest time and was originally played by a wind instrument called "Cheo". |
| 2. Giai Dieu Sapa | a love song for the women of Sapa, a village in the mountainous part of North Vietnam. The song is usually played by a traditional instrument "Khen". |
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3. Van Vuong (Audition !) |
This song was composed from the view of Minh's window, which looked down on the streets of Hanoi, as he reminisced about his past life and imagined the future of Vietnam and its people. |
| 4. Kho Keo Luoi | A chant of fishermen when they pull their net full of fish from the sea. |
| 5. Ngau Hung Tay Nguen | Using familiar scales of Tay Nguyen folk songs, but has been newly interpreted by Minh who blends blue notes and other jazz essence in with it. |
| 6. Mua Xuan kinh Bac | Containing of a longing melody for most elder Vietnamese, as they used to listen to those melodies in cafes around old Hanoi. |
| 7. Chieu Thon Que | A song about the peaceful sound of nature heard by the farmers after they finish their day of work. |
| 8.
Song Hay La Chet (Audition !) |
A funeral song. Minh hopes that even after he dies, his many years of work will be immortal and his young musicians will carry on his legend. |
| 9.
Misty (Audition !) |
A famous jazz song performed by Minh and Japanese guitarist Hiroki Koichi. This track was recorded in concert at Hanoi in august, 1999. |
