Kailin Yong's Y-rless string quartet

It had been a while since I was this curious about an upcoming gig. A quote from the event description went:
“This group of string players is bringing a refreshing new sound into town”  “They are taking the tried-and-true classical string quartet model and stretching it beyond it's stylistic and sonic possibilities/comfort zone.”

Now what is more relaxing on a Friday night, after a week of being boxed in and towing the corporate line, than to be taken out of one's comfort zone. After what seemed to have been a long time, I took my camera out of the dry box and we left for Artistry to see the Y string quartet with

Christina Xinxue Zhou

Felix Phang

 

Kailin Yong

Kim Eun Hyung

Seating at these type of events at Artistry is always a theatre setup with chairs row by row. It is my impression that this kind of seating makes people feel more they are to listen rather than chat. Which in this case was extra nice, because as per Kailin’s first announcement, the performance was going to be “unplugged”.

The band played a wide range of classic tunes rearranged to suit the 3 violins 

and 1 bass 

configuration and with often Latin rhythms from songs like Sway (I can hear the sound of violins long before it begins) and Quiza Quiza Quiza.

In my opinion it was simply fantastic, a thoroughly fun discovery, from what is currently being offered in the music scene. With surprises spreading thin for anyone who goes to live music gigs on a regular basis, this is a great discovery and I hope the Y quartet will continue to explore the ranges of their 16 strings…without wires!

 

 

Johnny James' New Year State of mind

 Truth to tell it was a compromise! Due to my hand surgery and other family complications the safari and beach vacation we had planned for our anniversary that happens to coincide with the Gregorian New Year’s day, could not happen. However when I saw that Johnny James was at the Sultan for the Eve of 2014 I thought that could be a nice way to ring out 2013 in Singapore. Dr. J is always able to make it a party, no matter what the evening is for, so this should work out quite nicely as well. 

When Johnny and his all American band of 5 took the stage it looked like they had a bit more formal thing in mind than what I thought would come. 

Dressed to the gills with tuxedos and butterflies the five band members:

Eddie  Layman (Ohio)

Johnny James (Florida)

Mario Serio (New York)

Rick Smith (Mississippi)

William Gathright (New York) 

started warming up with some Jazz standards, not the Motown dance hits I was expecting for a night like this. Don’t get me wrong no one, including me was disappointed, I can and often do listen to Jazz all day, it was just a bit different from my anticipation.

Things moved a bit in that direction when Michelle Poh 

stepped behind the microphone. I hadn’t seen Michelle perform in ages. Not since one of my favorite hang outs here, Bar Stop, shut down, victim of Singapore condo culture. Michelle added quite a bit of intensity to the stage and by midnight, which fell sort of in the middle of the second set, the party was on. Johnny and Michelle drew the party to the dance floor with those Motown tunes I was talking about and the Sultan was soon too small for all to dance.

My wife and I, like everyone else I thought, had a great night. Dr. J and his band were finger snapping good.

For me it is another lesson in putting aside expectations and to go with the flow. Jazz is perfect to get into a new years state of mind!

 Or is it,

New

 York!