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Jazz night with “unit asia” featuring Tung Duong

In celebration of 40th Year of ASEAN – Japan Friendship and Cooperation as well as the Japan – Vietnam Friendship Year 2013, the Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam, in cooperation with Consulate-General of Japan in Ho Chi Minh City, proudly presents a jazz concert by "unit asia" featuring best of the best vocals in Vietnam, Tung Duong, on Friday 12 July in Hanoi & on Sunday 14 July in Ho Chi Minh City.

"unit asia" is a hybrid jazz band which consists of five outstanding musicians from Asia; Japan, Thailand and Malaysia. The band was formed in October 2008 to aim for "creating a new type of jazz music" and has been actively touring around the globe. Their first-time tour in Vietnam in February 2012 received enthusiastic applauses and thanks to Tung Duong, it became one of the legendary concerts in the history of jazz scene in Vietnam.

In response to a lot of requests from the previous audience and those who missed the last year's concert, we have decided to bring them back again to Vietnam, re-inviting Tung Duong as a guest vocal for further musical collaboration.

The music style of "unit asia" is based around jazz, but they have managed to incorporate diverse musical elements such as rock, pops, blues and so forth into their music, enabling them to create their own original sound that exceeded the framework of nation, culture and musical genre.

Needless to say, Tung Duong, Singer of the Year 2011 and Dedication Award for Song of the Year 2012 ("Chiec Khan Pieu"), is a perfect choice for "unit asia". His emotional and strong voice will skillfully interplay with sounds of "unit asia" and will enrich its musical diversity as a whole.

This year's concert by "unit asia" with Tung Duong will be surely another legend for all music lovers in Vietnam. Their tour in Vietnam kicks off in Hanoi at Youth Theatre from 7:30pm on Friday 12 July, followed by the concert in Ho Chi Minh City at Ben Thanh Theatre from 7:30pm on Sunday 14 July. Both concerts are free admission but you are required to get free advanced tickets which will be distributed from 2pm on Friday 28 June at the Japan Foundation (27 Quang Trung, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi/TEL 04-3944-7419) in Hanoi and at Ben Thanh Theatre (6 Mac Dinh Chi, District 1, HCMC) in Ho Chi Minh City.

Grroovin' sounds await you!

A Jazz Night with "unit asia" featuring Tung Duongunit asia

Isao "SANKICHI" Miyoshi (guitar/Japan)
Koh Mr. Saxman (saxophone/Thailand)
Tay Cher Siang (piano/Malaysia)
Shigeki Ippon (bass/Japan)
Tomo'o Tsuruya (drums/Japan)
Hanoi

Date & Time: Friday 12 July 2013
[Open] 19:00 [Start] 19:30

Venue: Youth Theatre
11 Ngo Thi Nham, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi

Free ticket distribution:
*Please refrain from taking children under 6 years old to the concert.
[From 2pm on Friday 28 June onward]
The Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam
27 Quang Trung, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
[Opening hours] 09:00 – 18:00 (no closed days)

Ho Chi Minh City

Date & Time: Sunday 14 July 2013
[Open] 19:00 [Start] 19:30

Venue: Ben Thanh Theatre
6 Mac Dinh Chi, District 1, HCMC

Free ticket distribution:
*Please refrain from taking children under 6 years old to the concert.
[From 2pm on Friday 28 June onward]
Ben Thanh Theatre
6 Mac Dinh Chi, District 1, HCMC
[Opening hours] 09:00 – 18:00 (no closed days)

Program

Stage I (approximately 60 minutes)
Intermission (15 minutes)
Stage II (approximately 60 minutes) *Tung Duong will join from the stage II.

■ Musician's Profiles

unit asia

To aim for "Create a new type of music (jazz) by prominent jazz musicians who have been active in Asia", "unit asia" was formed by 5 outstanding musicians of Asia, at an opportunity of Southeast Asia tour (in Singapore, Manila, Brunei, Kuala Lumpur and Chiang Mai, organized by the Japan Foundation) in 2008.

The music of unit asia has evolved as well as mutual understanding and friendship of musicians have deepened every time they performed. They have displayed rich creative stage in a full of life, and won the highest praise from music persons concerned and the media at the same time created a storm of the impression on the audiences.

Since their debut in 2008, "unit asia" has held the performance tours successfully. In 2010, Middle East (in Cairo and Ankara) & India (in Chennai and Kolkata) tour. In 2011, Japan tour. In February of 2012, their 2nd Southeast Asia tour in Bangkok, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Kuala Lumpur and Manila. And in 2013, their 1st Europe tour in Madrid, Barcelona, Rome and Cologne, received an enthusiastic sensation in each country.

They have released two outstanding albums. "UNIT ASIA Debut! from Southeast Asia Tour 2008" (2009) and "Smile for You" (2010) is the latest. Those works are highly regarded. Their style is based around jazz, but they have managed to incorporate diverse musical elements such as rock, pops and etc. into their music, enabling them to create their own original sound that exceeded the framework of nation, culture and musical genre. "unit asia" is a remarkable jazz band of Asia.
Isao "Sankichi" Miyoshi (guitar/Japan)
Isao Miyoshi made his debut with his own band in 1983, and performed with predominant musicians. He formed his own guitar trio to aim for further free style of guitar trio and his 1st album "SANKICHIZM" released in 1995 was won the highest praise as an outstanding work that breaks the jazz guitar trio's concept. Since then, alongside releasing lots of outstanding albums, he has performed not only in Japan but has toured abroad (US, Europe and Asia) extensively as well. Miyoshi is respected highly and draws lots of attentions as one of leading jazz guitarists of Japanese jazz scene. In unit usia, Miyoshi displays his prominent skills and rich music capacity, leads this unit with his warm and broad-minded personality as leader.

Koh Mr. Saxman (saxophone/Thailand)
Koh became a professional musician since he was only 15 years old. While studying at Chulalongkorn University, he was invited to join contemporary Thai band, "Boy Thai" as a founding member. In 2002 Koh released his first solo album "Mr. Saxman". One of the tracks "Pavana"(My Prayer) had topped several music charts and retained its popularity until today. The success of "Mr.Saxman" established him as Thailand's newest sensation on the saxophone, which earned him several invitations of perform overseas. He is a super-artist represented in Thai music scene. With his reliable and powerful performance ability and emotional rendering, Koh leads strong front-line of this unit with Isao Miyoshi.

Tay Cher Siang (piano/Malaysia)
Tay Cher Siang started his piano lessons just like most people, learning classical music. While studying in West Virginia University, he performed with various orchestra and band as classical and jazz pianist. Other than performing, Tay composes, and arranges for big band and small groups. Tay is currently teaching at UCSI and The Talent Makers in Kuala Lumpur. Since his return to Malaysia, he has performed with varied artists as well as with his own band "WVC Trio". Tay is promising jazz pianist who draws lots of attention from Malaysian jazz scene. Tay displays his ability as composer as well as pianist, his sensitive and dynamic play make this unit's music filled with rich color.

Shigeki Ippon (bass/Japan)
Shigeki Ippon launched his performance career as a professional musician at the same time of graduating from the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music in 2000. Since then, he has performed in many concerts, and has participated in numerous recording sessions for various artists, CM and soundtracks as well as has performed in several stages as a musician. Both contrabass and electric bass with supple musical capacity from western classical music through jazz and pop and prominent rendering ability, Shigeki Ippon is a remarkable artist for the coming generation. As pivot of rhythm in this unit, Ippon creates reliable and groovy rhythm combination with Hiroyuki Noritake.

Tomo’o Tsuruya (drums/Japan)
Tomo’o Tsuruya started playing drums when he joined a brass band club at his high school. Since then, he has explored unique style of drumming without sticking to any particular music genres. After staying in Vancouver, Canada, he made his debut with AIKE BAND in 1987. In 1988, he participated in Montreux Jazz Festival. From that time on, he has been actively having sessions with various bands such as Chicken Shack, KOJIKANATSURU and “SURPRISE!” of Isao “SANKICHI” Miyoshi, as well as with a wide variety of musicians such as Takeshi Ito (saxophone), Hajime Mizoguchi (violoncello), coba (accordion), Bob James (piano), Chad Smith (drums/Red Hot Chili Peppers) and Masaharu Fukuyama (Vocal) to name but a few.

Tung Duong (Vocal) Vietnam
Tung Duong is one of few Vietnamese singers of the 8X generation to have established a stable presence in the music industry. He is remarkable not only because of the way he shot to fame – by winning Sao Mai Diem Hen (Morning Star Rendezvous) in 2004, a national singing contest similar to Vietnamese Idol – but also because of the genres of music he chooses to pursue. Instead of sticking to ‘safe’ pop music that is guaranteed to have some kind of audience, however transient, Tung Duong has chosen to explore alternative styles such as jazz, new age and electronic/ambient. In 2004 and 2005 he was the only Vietnamese singer to take part in the International Jazz Festival in Ha Noi, and in Copenhagen in 2006.



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