The Good Life Project: It's a plan!

I once new a person who set up a Microsoft project plan around her pregnancy. So to create a good life project doesn’t sound that crazy to me anymore. And if you do it, then do it early in life I guess.  So it was no surprise to anyone that the Good Life Project is a band of many lovely relatively young faces.

Kim Eun Hyung - Violin/Synths 

DJ Intrigue (Louis Quek) - Turntables

Sano Shimano - Guitars

Stasha Wong - Bass

NAztykeys - Keyboards

 Boey Yong Jie - Drums

*Featuring Pamela Song - Vocals

It was again an easy choice for us to go to Kampong Glam. There is always something fun going on between Jalan Sultan and Bali Lane! We had heard about the Aliwal Urban Art Festival and since that had kicked off early in the evening or is it late afternoon, I never know how to exactly define that, we headed out at about 6:30. 

The weather has been gorgeous lately and I really have this summer holiday sense, so it was nice to see there was a lot of outdoor activity. But we came there for the music and that was inside.  On our way over to the performance space we ran into the friendly smiling face of  Kim Eun Hyung,  

who happened to be part of the first act, the for mentioned Good Life Project. We followed her inside and found ourselves to be some of the first. It was standing room only. I am a bit uncomfortable standing all the way in front since I am well above average height, but we had to because otherwise there was no chance of a decent shot, so we stood a bit off center, at what turned out to be a great angle from where I could see all.

If making fun music and having a blast while doing it is any guarantee for a good life these kids, sorry ladies and gentleman it’s the old geezer in me talking, sure have their project down to the detail.  The whole band seemed to be fully engaged in Agile teamwork and that ensured a complete delivery

 

I have a little theory about bassist and so far it has come true for the most part. They are all individuals with a bit of a special character, fun in a subdued kind of way I would say, a bit cynical maybe.

 The bassist of good life project did not particularly radiate that image when I first so her.  She is a bit taller and slender, there was nothing funky about her hairstyle or the way she dressed and her glasses did not really sparkle of modernity, although I think it is a rather current style.

So my initial attention I have to admit went out to Eun Hyung, and the guys in the back who all showed potential for fun photos.  Stasha though managed to catch my ear and eye and with that change my perception. She had funky grooves and moves. She turned out to be, in my opinion quite photogenic,

 and I needed to eat  every word of my first impression. I had to get a bunch of shot of her. 

After I arrived home and flashed through some of her photos quickly I could almost the see the horses on her shirt gallop of stage and into the night as if the year was already over.

 

 

 

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