Charity concert revives Chinese jazz classics from the ‘60s

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IT WAS a night of nostalgia when a retro jazz musical charity concert relived the mood for love of yesteryears.

Inspired by Hong Kong director Wong Kar Wai’s classic film, In the Mood for Love, the musical of the same name attempted to revive Chinese oldies from the 1960s.

Jazz songstress Lydia Chew gave a subtle introductory performance of the song titled My Glorious Years to begin the rendezvous at the Syuen Hotel in Ipoh last Friday.

Grand opening number: Chew singing subtly at the beginning of the musical.

Dressed in a tangy red tight-fitting cheongsam, she lifted the mood with her expressive voice telling the story of how a loving couple cherished their last date before separation through the song titled “Intoxicated in Your Embrace”.

Accompanied by virtuoso pianist Tay Cher Siang, who displayed his musical prowess by improvising the pop-jazz-styled Lover’s Tears, Chew sang her heart out to the fast-paced yet melancholic melody.

Tay and the other instrumentalists — a saxophonist, a double bass player and a drummer — left the audience spellbound by the mysterious and enigmatic Yumeji’s Theme.

Chew later dedicated the song Forever Smile to her grandmother who was absent from the concert.

“This song by Zhou Xuan is her favourite. As a child, my mother would coax me to sleep with the song, telling me that it is my grandmother’s favourite,” she said sentimentally.

For a good cause: Teoh (fourth from right) presenting mock cheques to SJK(C) Sam Tet Board of Governors chairman Rev Father Liew (second from right) and Chan (third from right).

After a short break, “Bossa Princess” Z Yan made her appearance on stage and serenaded the audience with Autumnal Night performed in a classic bossa nova beat.

Performing Teresa Teng’s I Only Care for You in her euphonious voice, Z Yan garnered rapturous applause from the crowd.

Chew once again hit the stage to duet with Z Yan on the number The Past Can Only Be Reminisced, closing the musical with a fantastic two-part harmony.

Organised by the Andaman Group, the concert raised a total of RM204,000 for SMJK Sam Tet and the John Moh Foundation.

The donations were handed out to the school’s board of governors chairman Rev Father Stephen Liew Khoay Siong and foundation president Chan Kam Leong by Andaman executive chairman Datuk Patrick Teoh.