“Jazz Re-visit” comprises three nights of guided concerts presented by five local jazz groups, with performances led by acclaimed pianist Ted Lo and his band as well as Tjoe & NTBM, Mo-Men-T, Alan Kwan Quartet and maRK. They will lead the audience on a musical trip back in time to some of the most significant moments in the history of jazz.

Ready to travel back in time?

Legendary jazz musicians possessed the qualities and visions to react and make impact to the world, despite being in different cultures and historical periods. Jazz is a true art form and an invaluable asset of human culture. As a jazz musician from Hong Kong who had the privilege to perform and study at the homeland of this music with some of the legends, I would like to be a storyteller to introduce you to this fascinating world.

Teriver Cheung, curator of “Jazz Re-visit”

2018-4-20
Theme: Bebop

In the early 1940s, the idea of a “jam session” started to become more popular among musicians, and they became very well-known at Minton’s Playhouse. This was the beginning of Bebop and the birth of modern jazz. Pioneers like Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk would jam at jazz bars and observe each other’s performances, pushing the music towards a more complex melodic language and phrasing,fast-moving advanced harmony and burning up-tempos with syncopated comping rhythm.

Theme: Hard Bop

Extending from Bebop, from the mid 1950s there was a trend towards a more soulful approach to jazz music, which became categorised as “Hard Bop”. The music featured more singable melodies and danceable rhythms, and incorporated musical elements which were more popular at that time, such as rhythm and blues. “The Jazz Messengers” led by drummer Art Blakey was one of the most notable groups, with other important musicians including Horace Silver, Clifford Brown, Cannonball Adderley and so on.

“Jazz Re-visit” comprises three nights of guided concerts presented by five local jazz groups, with performances led by acclaimed pianist Ted Lo and his band as well as Tjoe & NTBM, Mo-Men-T, Alan Kwan Quartet and maRK. They will lead the audience on a musical trip back in time to some of the most significant moments in the history of jazz.

Ready to travel back in time?

Legendary jazz musicians possessed the qualities and visions to react and make impact to the world, despite being in different cultures and historical periods. Jazz is a true art form and an invaluable asset of human culture. As a jazz musician from Hong Kong who had the privilege to perform and study at the homeland of this music with some of the legends, I would like to be a storyteller to introduce you to this fascinating world.

Teriver Cheung, curator of “Jazz Re-visit”

2018-4-19
Theme: Jazz Worldwide Nowadays

Originating among the African-American community in the United States over 100 years ago, jazz travelled from New Orleans and Kansas City to Chicago and New York, eventually spreading all over the world as a unique art form. Musicians of different cultures have absorbed the tradition of jazz and contributed to the development of the music with new elements. Nowadays, jazz elements can be found in music of almost any genre, expanding the library of the jazz vocabulary and connecting the world with the inclusiveness of music.

The idea of Departure first came up in 2015 when I composed a piece named “Morning before Departure”, titled as ”0200“ of Hong Kong Episodes premiered in the 10th Anniversary of World Cultures Festival. The piece describes the dreamy feeling before sunrise at the airport, waiting alone for a departing flight. I have been looking back on my journey as a musician for the past 10 years and more: leaving Hong Kong to pursue Jazz education in Texas; moving to New York to experience the highest level of artistry possible; performing all over the world, as well as curating and composing for new exciting projects back in Hong Kong. Leaving my comfort zone has always allowed me to find fresh inspiration and to expand my palette of expression. The word “Departure” holds a lot of meaning for me and is a rich source of inspiration for this new project.

4 time Grammy Award Winner
Sanchez’ Birdman “Best Original Score” Accolades
A Novel Idea
Antonio Sanchez describes his current album with his band Migration, The Meridian Suite, as “my attempt to write in novel form rather than in short stories” and his music has an absorbing tale to tell.
Sanchez was last in Hong Kong in 2016, performing in what to most jazz lovers is, perhaps, his most familiar role – guitarist Pat Metheny’s drummer of choice. He returns as a bandleader with ambitious and acclaimed music of his own composition.
A Melodic Journey
He has come a long way since joining the Pat Metheny Group in 2002, working live and in the studio with a distinguished list of artists which includes Michael Brecker, Gary Burton, Enrico Pieranunzi and Chick Corea, among many others.

Along the way, several critics noted the melodic aspect of his drumming – a quality which makes him a particularly outstanding contributor to the musically demanding trio format, and allows him to hold the attention of audience as an unaccompanied solo percussionist.
It was accordingly no surprise that he turned out to be a gifted composer as well. Sanchez’s solo career began with 2007’s star studded Migration, and in 2011 he formed a band named after that album with pianist John Escreet and bassist Matt Brewer, both of whom played on his 2013 album, a New Life, of which Pat Metheny said “This record feels like a leap forward for Antonio”.
Making Movies
He took another leap forward the following year as the composer and performer of a solo percussion score for Alejandro González Iñárritu’s multiple Academy Award winning film Birdman. Sanchez was controversially denied an Oscar nomination for his music on the basis of a disputed technicality, but did pick up a Golden Globe nomination, and the BAFTA Award For Best Film Music. The soundtrack of Birdman also won him a Grammy Award. He also appeared as a drummer in Don Cheadle’s 2016 directorial debut Miles Ahead.
Birdman’s success altered the public perception of him from stellar jazz sideman to composer and leader, and his next two albums under his own name were eagerly awaited. Later Three Times Three, an album released by Sanchez as a leader, featured an all star cast, comprising guitarist John Scofield, bassists Matt Brewer, John Pattitucci and Christian McBride, pianist Brad Mehldau and saxophonist Joe Lovano.
Suite Success
The Meridian Suite, released in 2015, featured the Migration Band, expanded to include vocalist Thana Alexa, and saxophonist Seamus Blake. Those are the musicians who will be performing the suite with him in Hong Kong.
The band is now road seasoned, and The Meridian Suite has developed further in live performance.
“The band has been evolving exponentially and we’ve achieved a level of consistency and interaction that can only be acquired through extensive touring. The Meridian Suite has proved to be one of the most fun and rewarding live experiences of my career. We’ve been performing it in it’s entirety in all kind of venues all over the world for more than a year, and it’s still growing, morphing and developing. Seamus Blake, Thana Alexa, John Escreet and Matt Brewer have been the perfect combination of musical personalities that have made this kind of growth possible,” says Sanchez.
The suite features Escreet and Brewer – a telepathic partnership even before they started playing with Sanchez – on both acoustic and electric pianos and basses respectively.
Alexa’s wordless vocals, and Blake’s powerfully inventive saxophone and EWI playing extend the range of what was already an extraordinary band still further.
The music is by turns tranquil and turbulent, always searching and exploratory. The band is unafraid of risks.
This performance offers an opportunity to hear an ensemble of New York’s leading jazz musicians interpreting some of the most ambitious music of a game-changing drummer who has also emerged as a substantial composer. It should be a night to remember.

Guinness World Record as the most recorded jazz bassist in history in 2015

“… Ron Carter is the greatest jazz bassist ever, with his unparalleled gift for creating bass lines.” – Bass Player

“… the always innovative Carter pushes forward with a sound as fresh as ever.” – USA Today

Ron Carter is one of the greatest double bassists in the history of jazz, and his musical prowess and achievements have long been recognised. Carter, now at the ripe age of 81, has worked with many musical greats, including Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock. He is living jazz history, and watching his live performance is a testament in itself.

Carter’s playing style can be considered textbook material: a smooth bassline, a lively but steady bass pizzicato、 he is great at emphasising chord tones in different intervals and things like double stops are a walk in the park to him. But the most fascinating thing about him is his unique sound. With techniques such as popping, hammer-ons and glissandos, Carter’s sound has a vocalise quality that shines through during his solo improvisatory passages.

Does the tonal expression depend more on the musician’s hands, or on the choice of his instrument’s design, material and other details? While it may not be possible to get an absolute answer, it is obvious that Ron Carter treats them as equally important. So, nitpicking for nitpicking’s sake, we need to know that Carter’s double bass was custom-built in the Czech Republic, and the strings he uses are from a specific handcrafted brand. His instruments have brought new possibilities to his music. He was the first to work with a bass luthier to improve the instrument, lowering its fixed pitch to a low C. On the other hand, during a solo passage, Carter would use a piccolo bass, which is one octave higher than conventional bass tuning, to put the limelight on the lead player. This way of thinking might have something to do with his background as a cellist.

For a musician to be picked to be a member of the Ron Carter Trio is an honour in itself and a recognition of his virtuosity. For that reason, the two accompanying members – pianist Donald Vega and guitarist Russell Malone – definitely should not be overlooked. But what Hong Kong fans are most excited about is Ted Lo’s presence as special guest. Having long been a key figure in the local jazz and pop scene, Lo used to be a member of the Ron Carter Quartet. We can expect sizzling sparks in this long-awaited reunion.

“(He) makes everything look easy and natural… Just as a really suave tango dancer seems not to move with feet but on wheels, Ziegler skates the keyboard.” – The Los Angeles Times

“It is called nuevo Tango for its blending of jazz and the more traditional tango. But in the hands of Pablo Ziegler, it is, above all labels, transcendent music. ” – Montecristo Magazine

“There’s no question that Ziegler takes the tango to levels of sophistication and refinement probably undreamed of by Piazzolla. ” – Chicago Tribune

This exceptional trio has been constantly on tour in Europe and Asia since 2000. Their 2005 release, “Bajo Cero”, won the Latin Grammy for Best Tango Album. Their album, “Buenos Aires Report” was also nominated for the same prize in 2008.

The Buenos Aires-born, award-winning pianist, composer and arranger Pablo Ziegler, who performed in the grand maestro of tango music, Astor Piazzolla’s legendary quintet for over a decade, has been one of the most important figures in the genre of Argentinian new tango. More recently, Ziegler led another trio to create “Jazz Tango”, and received the 60th annual Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album in 2018.

Quique Sinesi is one of the most versatile guitarists from Argentina. As a composer for classical guitar, Sinesi has established a great reputation for his insightful, meticulous and virtuosic interpretation of the genre. Walter Castro, who is an integral figure on the tango scene with his remarkable bandoneon playing, shines in ensembles large and small. While each member is a master in his own right, the trio has together written new arrangements and compositions that have won them an enthusiastic following who love their incredible talents, and have set new standards in tango nuevo. The trio is coming to Hong Kong with their 2015 release, “Desperate Dance”. This is a concert that is definitely not to be missed!

“Jazz Re-visit” comprises three nights of guided concerts presented by five local jazz groups, with performances led by acclaimed pianist Ted Lo and his band as well as Tjoe & NTBM, Mo-Men-T, Alan Kwan Quartet and maRK. They will lead the audience on a musical trip back in time to some of the most significant moments in the history of jazz.

Ready to travel back in time?

Legendary jazz musicians possessed the qualities and visions to react and make impact to the world, despite being in different cultures and historical periods. Jazz is a true art form and an invaluable asset of human culture. As a jazz musician from Hong Kong who had the privilege to perform and study at the homeland of this music with some of the legends, I would like to be a storyteller to introduce you to this fascinating world.

Teriver Cheung, curator of “Jazz Re-visit”

2018-4-21

Theme: Fusion Jazz

From the late 1960s, the rise of electric instruments and amplifiers brought almost unlimited possibilities and excitement to music. Miles Davis’ album “In a Silent Way” in 1969 symbolised the start of the jazz fusion era. Musicians explored the bridging jazz of with other musical styles, with the use of electric instruments such as Fender Rhodes, Clavinet, synthesizers, electric guitar and bass etc.