‘PENANG Celebrates’ got off to a great start with ‘Christmas with Jazz’ at St Jo’s in Gurney Paragon Mall.
Two illustrious bands – ‘Aubrey Suwito Christmas with Friends’ and ‘The Jeremy Monteiro Generations Band’ – treated the audience to a world class performance in an open-air concert near the famous Gurney Drive on Dec 15.
The free concert, sponsored by the Penang state tourism office, drew a big crowd despite spells of rain that had been occurring regularly from the evening in recent days.
“The event marks the start of the ‘Penang Celebrates’ and is the first of a series of many more to come. It is in line with the state’s direction to strengthen Penang as a potpourri of arts, heritage and cultural diversity which we are known for,” state Tourism Development, Heritage, Culture and Arts Committee chairman Yeoh Soon Hin said in his speech.
“This event is an opportunity for music lovers and jazz enthusiasts from Penang and outstation friends to get together. Through this event, we also want to encourage more new talents for music which is key to Penang’s vibrant art scene.”
Also present were Hunza Group founder Datuk Seri Khor Teng Tong and his wife Datin Seri Seow Kim Fong, Hunza Group executive director Khor San Leng, and Malaysian Association of Hotels (Penang Chapter) chairman Khoo Boo Lim, who is also the Vouk Hotel Suites general manager, and Penang House of Music director Paul Augustin.
Yeoh thanked Gurney Paragon Mall, which is owned and managed by Hunza Group, Vouk Hotel and Lim Boon Kooi Travel for stepping up as event sponsors.
In a way, the ‘Christmas with Jazz’ programme was timely as the Penang Island Jazz Festival was cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances after being held for the past 14 years.
Thanks to Augustin, he managed to assemble the two caliber bands that gave top-notch performances.
“The whole concept of the show is about happiness, togetherness and having fun through music,” he said.
Many fans had to stand as the seats were all quickly taken up before Aubrey Suwito ‘Christmas with Friends’ did the first act.
Its line-up included Aubrey on piano, Adzeem Hairani or better known as Jenk (drums), Gideon (bass), Marcus Leong (guitar), Kevin Choo (saxophone), Khairul Anwar (trumpet), and vocalists Elvira Arul, Juwita Suwito and Patrick Leong.
After the band began with ‘Carol of the Bells’, Juwita sang ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’, followed by ‘Hark The Herald Angels Sing’ (a duet with Patrick), ‘Christmas Party’ (Patrick – original) and ‘Sleigh Ride’ (instrumental).
Then, Elvira, who won the ‘Mentor’ singing competition in a television programme this year, came on to deliver ‘Christmas in The Sun’. The song was written by Aubrey, who wanted it to resonate with the locals.
“I had the frustration of always listening to Christmas songs about snow, chestnut and reindeer. But seriously when I grew up, I never see any of them. I began to think of what Christmas is all about to me. Christmas is about family, faith and friends,” said Aubrey, a multiple award-winning songwriter, producer and arranger. He has six albums to his name and has won a total of 19 AIM (Anugerah Industri Muzik) awards.
Elvira continued with another popular song, ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’, before Juwita came back to sing ‘Oh Come All Ye Faithful’, which Aubrey merged the Christmas song with joget rhythm and added a spice of Irish.
Patrick rendered the next number, ‘Joy To The World’. He stayed on stage as Elvira and Juwita joined him to engage the crowd by singing ‘Jingle Bells’.
The trio aptly signed off with ‘Do You Hear What I Hear’ after Aubrey told the crowd to spare a thought for peace as we celebrate Christmas and other festivals.
While Aubrey and his band impressed with their fusion, funk and jazz style, the ‘The Jeremy Monterio Generations Band’ from Singapore impressed with a laid-back style of jazz as though you are listening to their music in a living room.
Monteiro, dubbed ‘Singapore’s King of Swing’, has performed or recorded with the likes of James Moody, Bobby McFerrin, Lee Ritenour, Paulinho DaCosta, Matt Monro, Toots Thielemans and Simon & Garfunkel, among many others.
The band comprised Monteiro (piano), Yap Ting Wei (drums), Beh Poh (bass), Sean Hong Wei (saxophone), Alemay Fernandez (vocals) and Louis Soliano (vocals & percussions).
They started off with an original instrumental (From Paris to Segre), followed by ‘Love is Here to Stay (Louis Soliano), Christmas Song (Louis Soliano), Mount Olive (instrumental – original), Josefina (instrumental – original), When You Wish Upon A Star (Alemay Fernandez), Winter Wonderland (Alemay Fernandez), Take The A Train (Alemay Fernandez).
Soliano, who at the height of the Vietnam War was backing artistes like Leigh Ann Austin, Jane Russell, Bette Davis and others as they entertained the US troops in the American bases, still has fire in his belly although he has been in the music industry for more than 60 years.
He looks like an ordinary person, but when he sings or scats, he is a legend. He is one of the best interpreters of jazz standards with a style reminiscent of Johnny Hartman and Frank Sinatra.
About half an hour before the show ended, it started to drizzle. But jazz lovers being jazz lovers, many, armed with umbrellas, stayed on as Alemay, a veteran performer with a powerful and rich voice, sang her heart out.
It was a wonderful and memorable night for music fans, who of course, look forward to other series of ‘Penang Celebrates’ after the show has whetted their appetite.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by courtesy of Gurney Paragon Mall
