Art Fazil:What the Folk SG it's not so Black and White

It seems a contradiction to say thanks to an unfortunate event in the recent past I started picking up reading again. Leaving the event and reason aside, I picked up some books with a more or less popular-psychology topic. I recently finished Quiet describing a bit of the ins of introverts. 

Now I have picked up Subliminal discussing how little of our behavior we actually directly influence although we think we are under control.

Interestingly I am starting to develop a direct connection between the photos I take (still very careful not to use the word photography, false modesty no doubt) and my interpretation of the words I read. In an earlier post I already highlighted the beauty of Quietness on stage when observing Richard Jackson. 

Reading Subliminal I am starting to wonder why practically all musicians close their eyes when they start playing emotionally intense sections. Then of course I have to start wondering why I gravitate more towards those pictures.  

I can only guess because, I have no research to back up anything but, I do think that’s why we listen to music, for the emotion, and when in case of live music it is supported by visuals, it of course makes it come to life.

Other than a couple of shots of, what I think are nice examples that I showed just now of Art Fazil and Bani Rahman, there is no real connection between my babble and the band.  The band is a bit of a different story. Actually there was no band that evening at Artistry. 

The “What the Folk SG” session officially featured the folk singer Art Fazil who took care of the first set by himself with some originals and a bit of covers

The second set was a jam with Art,

 Bani on bass

 and Jerme Yeo on drums

All against a back drop of the exhibition Black and White by Leo Poloniecki.

But nothing ever is:

 

 

Folk music probably because of one of its primary representatives Bob Dylan for me is very much related to lyrics with social criticism, which makes me immediately think of the unfortunate events in Paris this week. Don’t worry I am not getting on the bandwagon of “Je suis Charlie” because I am not! Until last week I had no idea who/what Charlie Hebdo was. If I had known their publications, I am honest enough to say that from a personal perspective, I may have said in some cases “is that really necessary”. I am not that confrontational, at least not if I do not exactly and specifically know who I am addressing. 

I do believe that freedom of expression is a great good and as all "good" in life, it does not come for free, except maybe good music at Artistry, but normally we will have to make our choices as individuals. Due to my choice, I tread lightly because freedom to me is much more than being able to write what I like. For one there is the choice of who I share a room with or being able to open my front door. I do however quietly admire anyone who breaks the waves; for what (s)he believes strongly is right, within or outside of their own culture, in any way or form and without using violence!

I admire them because of their sacrifices, as it cannot come free, but having to pay with your physical freedom or being, is too big a price, under any circumstance!

Believe it or not but at this very moment, they are playing Bob Dylan (Like a Rolling Stone) on my radio station --Subliminal???)!!

More babble sorry. Back to music... Ah forget it. I am not in the mood to write more. Just enjoy the photos. I hope they show how much I enjoyed the evening!

 

 

 

Shu Mei Jesse Yap and Band: Comfortable without vocals

I was happy to opt for an evening at Blu Jaz the Saturday after Christmas. I read that Shu Mei Yap would be playing. It had been ages since we met Shu Mei for the first time, but I am almost sure it was at Blu Jaz, probably not too long after we discovered the place. Less long but definitely too long ago we saw her play, so that evening was a great opportunity to catch up with Shu Mei and on her music.

I like Shu Mei, of course she is firstly a lovely lady, but what I really like about her is that sometimes she seemed to turn in to that young woman that discovered the true connection with her violin for the first time after all these hours of practice. 

Like many musicians, she is reserved until on stage. All smiles and vivaciousness she presents us the beautiful sound of the violin. I’ve heard her play different styles and was at some point quite surprised how rocky it can get, but this evening it would be belated Christmas carols, she mentioned in her introduction.

Ouch, 

Christmas carols, not exactly my favorite, but we were there and decided to stick around till it got too much!

I’ve always maintained I was not much of a lyrics man, but discovered soon how they actually can make or break a song for me. Christmas Carols by a band of

Bobby Singh on drums

Daniel Purnomo on bass

Karen Lim on keys

Lead by violin, without the words, can actually be quite nice. 

These melodies must be quite old by now but are still doing it for me, so it turned out that we were in for a nice evening. 

Not that we were likely to go anywhere because it had turned winter in Singapore, with the appropriate precipitation, for the climate that is…A massive downpour.  

That means that everything, blue or yellow, sad or scared, disappears into the night. The reservation system tells you to try again in 10 minutes but might as well say 60, by which time you have tried so often your phone is out of battery.   

So what is there better to do than listening to the comforting sounds of a violin

 

 

 

Barbershop Quartet: A holiday introspective

Somehow Christmas is connected to organ music for me. 

I guess it has to do with the connection of church and these massive pipe instruments that many of them are home to. Or it could also be the music my father chose to play because of the mood Christmas used to put him into.  

Secondly it was a dreary day. I had taken my bicycle out in the rain in the morning to work and it was still or maybe again raining when I returned back in the late afternoon.   

Weather in the Netherlands is usually quite similar, as it was the second day of Christmas in Singapore. Except for the fact that it is about 25 degrees colder than here, it looked and felt pretty much the same; grey and damp!  

It was actually my wife who suggested to go to Barbershop, to see the Barbershop quartet’s impressive line up of

Richard Jackson vocals

Rick Smith Guitar

Tamagoh on drums

And fitting to my Christmas feelings the Organ masterfully played by Oliver von Essen.

Those of you who have been reading several of my posts may have come to the conclusion that I have a strong preference for vivacious characters on stage, preferably women, and that may be true.

But as I am reading the last chapter of Quiet, the power of introverts in a world that cannot stop talking, I recognize several of the observations made in this book in Richard. 

 

To anyone that considers calling someone an introvert a negative thing, I recommend the book strongly and others should read it as well, I think. It is an interesting perspective on the kind of people we all know and you may even be yourself, society just did not allow you to know it.

So Richard, as I know him, is calm and quiet, appears pensive often and speaks using few words, a strong contrast to the jumpy, crazy, bubbly characters I am admiring so often.

Yet I enjoy watching Richard as much as I enjoy hearing him sing. Observing Richard is like staring into the open fire of a fireplace, watching the flames that reach out into the darkness  chimney.

It somehow absorbs your mind and allows you to float away listening to soulful music, while you can feel the warmth it radiates.  What is nicer on grungy grey days like last Friday.

I will have finished the last chapter of Quiet probably by the end of the weekend and then I will be closing that book…! Finally perhaps, because I am a slow reader and even slower in learning. My encounter with the introvert side of people did teach me several lessons though and I will end a good year with quite a bit of new perspectives!

 

The last song of the second set happened to be a pretty version of a rainy night in Georgia. At that point I thought we had enough rain for one day. So we decided to pay up and head home to play our fireplace DVD.