Jazz Up with the HK Phil and Ted Lo!
Star-studded Evening with HK Phil Principal Clarinet Andrew Simon, Angelita Li, Paulo Levi and more, performing music by Artie Shaw, Gershwin, John Lennon...
Swire Denim Series: HK Phil x Ted Lo | Jazz Up (4 & 5 June)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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[3 June 2021, Hong Kong] The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil) is ready to jazz up the stage of the Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall with Ted Lo on 4 & 5 June, together with conductor Sylvain Gasançon and an array of stars, in a programme of soulful Jazz.

Kicking off the concert will be an excerpt from Claude Bolling’s Suite for Chamber Orchestra and Jazz Piano Trio with Ted Lo on the piano, Sylvain Gagnon on the double bass, and Anthony Fernandes on drums. Grammy Award winner and lifetime admirer of Duke Ellington, Bolling devised his Suite to merge classical music with the music of the big bands. Artie Shaw’s Concerto for Clarinet, features HK Phil Principal Clarinet Andrew Simon, who will play the legendary altissimo C after some authentic boogie-woogie blues.

The second half of the concert includes jazz vocalist Angelita Li and saxophonist Paulo Levi in Gershwin’s iconic “Summertime”, Talie Monin in Ted Lo’s arrangement of Richard Rogers and Lorenz Hart’s “Bewitched”, and the amazing Howard McCrary singing John Lennon’s “Imagine”. The concert also pays tribute to McCoy Tyner, the late avant-garde jazz pianist, with Ted Lo’s original compositions,Song for McCoy and Another Journey.

Drum Set Sponsor: Tom Lee Music

HK Phil x Ted Lo | Jazz Up will be presented on 4 & 5 June 2021 (Fri & Sat) at 8PM in the Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall. Tickets are HK$480, $380 and $280 and are available at URBTIX. For enquiries, please call +852 2721 2332 or visit hkphil.org.

Artists
Sylvain Gasançon, conductor [full description]
Sylvain Gasançon won first prize in the International Eduardo Mata Conducting Competition in Mexico in 2005. The following year, he was awarded second prize at the International Jorma Panula Conducting Competition in Vaasa, Finland. He has quickly become an established conductor in the international scene. He consistently receives public and critical acclaim for his powerful and musical interpretations.

Ted Lo, piano [full description]
In 1976 Hong Kong-born jazz pianist Ted Lo was the first Chinese graduate of Berklee College of Music in the United States. Lo began his career in jazz as a pianist in the Boston scene during the 70’s. He made his  recording debut on Colors, an album featuring the legendary Brazilian trombonist Raul de Souza, percussionist Jack DeJonnette and bassist Richie Davis. In 1977 Lo toured with the rock legend Al Kopper.

Andrew Simon, clarinet [full description]
"...he is one of the finest players I’ve heard ...competitive with the best of the best.” 
- Jerry Dubins, Fanfare Magazine
Boasting a distinguished career spanning over three decades, New York-born clarinettist Andrew Simon has appeared as soloist and guest lecturer on four continents.

Howard McCrary, vocalist [full description]
Howard McCrary is an award-winning singer, songwriter, producer and musician who traverses the worlds of gospel and secular music. He co-produced his gospel record, So Good, which was nominated for Best Gospel Performance, Male, at the Grammy Awards. In 1987 he was presented the ASCAP’s Duke Ellington Award, and was commissioned to write Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow for the Brooklyn Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra.

Talie Monin, vocalist [full description]
Zulu South African contemporary jazz vocalist Talie Monin has enjoyed a spectacular rise through the top ranks of the global jazz elite after winning the “Audience Choice Award” at the 2018 Montreux Jazz Festival. In 2019 she released her wildly successful debut album 24 Strathay, which top American jazz critic and head of programming at JazzWorks in the US called - “Exuberant elegance! This is a 21st century musical alchemy that’s pointing jazz towards the future.”

Angelita Li, vocalist [full description]
Angelita Li is a Hong Kong-born singer. She has travelled to, and lived in, Bangkok, Los Angeles, Singapore, Macau and Kuala Lumpur. Her repertoire stretches from Jazz to Rock to Brazilian. As a front liner, Li has three solo albums under her name, including Hong Kong's first Jazz vocal album in Chinese [Uniq-Mystery], and an International debut [Caminhos Cruzados] recorded in Denmark with Grammy winner Hans Ulrik and the "Unbelievable" Eugene Pao.

Paulo Levi, saxophone [full description]
Born in Belem do Para in the delta of the Amazon jungle, Paulo Levi began his career within the Baptist church, followed by a stint at the Carlos Gomes Conservatory of Music where as an exchange student he had a close connection to jazz in the USA NY. At 17 years old Paulo migrated to Paris where he learned to speak French and English, and was accepted at CSMDP as the first Latino-American student in the first class of improvisational music.

Sylvain Gagnon, double bass [full description]
Since his relocation to Hong Kong in 2000, Sylvain has been active in studio and performing, playing on hundreds of CDs and touring with local and international artists, including a world tour with Jackie Cheung, where he played 146 concerts for 2,800,000 people. His ability to play the double bass, electric bass, read well and arrange in a number of styles make him one of the most in-demand bassists in the region.

Anthony Fernandes, drums [full description]
Anthony Fernandes is a versatile drummer who has recorded more than 500 albums in different styles of music.
He was placed on the Dean’s List at the Dick Grove School of Music in Los Angeles as one of the best students for having completed the Arranging and Composing Program.

SWIRE DENIM SERIES: HK PHIL X TED LO | JAZZ UP
4 & 5 | 6 | 2021
FRI & SAT 8PM
Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall
HK $480 $380 $280
Tickets are now available at URBTIX, ticketflap and POPTICKET
For ages 6 and above

Drum Set Sponsor: Tom Lee Music

Artists

Click the thumbnails to download press images [Or hold Ctrl then click to open the file]

Sylvain Gasançon	Ted Lo	Andrew Simon

Howard McCrary	Talie Monin Photo Credit: Ruby Law	Angelita Li	Paulo Levi

Sylvain Gagnon	Anthony Fernades	Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra Photo Credit: Eric Hong/HK Phil

Programme