Jazz star Dac to wow Opera House

Note perfect: Saxophonist Quyen Thien Dac will perform solo at the 90-minute Jazz Suite Night. Photo vietnamnet.vn

The saxophonist wishes to devote the Jazz Suite Night to two men of jazz, the American legend John Coltrane (1927-67) and his father Quyen Van Minh.

Thus, the night promises to be the saxophonist's most essential performance so far, with the first half dedicated to Coltrane's A Love Supreme and the second half for Dac's composition Cha va Con (Father and Son).

"I will play solo the whole night. Ninety minutes for both works," the 34-year-old jazz artist said.

The quintessential charming sound of Dac's sax accompanied by pianist Nguyen Dinh Phuc, contrabassist Nguyen Minh Duc and drummer Le Viet Hung will create a perfect combination and complete the night.

A Love Supreme is a studio album recorded by Coltrane's quartet in 1964 and considered to be among his greatest works. The 45-minute album is a four-part suite, broken up into tracks: Acknowledgement, Resolution, Persuance, and Psalm.

Dac wrote Cha va Con to honour his father who has devoted more than 40 years to music, particularly laid the foundation for jazz development in Viet Nam. The suite is divided into three parts: Wisper,Growing Up, and For Life.

"Music is the pinnacle of sound. I do not only seek for the most beautiful sounds, but also want the audience see images through music," said Dac, a lecturer at the Viet Nam National Academy of Music's Jazz Faculty, which his father founded.

In 1991 the 11-year-old Dac entered the Academy (then the Ha Noi Conservatory of Music) and five years later was invited to join the Viet Nam National Symphony Orchestra during a concert tour across five big cities nationwide.

According to the musician and father of a two-month-old son, all the show's seats on the third floor at the Opera House will be reserved for students who love this genre of music.

"I can make it all free seats, but the live show is designed not only for students. For almost every previous performances, plus some financial assistance, we were just able to pay for the location, sound, and the musicians," said Dac, affirming that his son would surely follow his father and grandfather's step.

"It is not the story of making ‘loss' or ‘interest'. We just ask for a fair treatment towards the value of our labour and creation.

"Buying tickets is a way for the public to show its support and respect for artists and the art. If I get fully financed regarding location and sound equipment, I want to perform for free in a stadium for all jazz lovers."

Jazz Suite Night starts at 8pm at the Ha Noi Opera House, 1 Trang Tien St, Hoan Kiem District.