[Creative Fridays] #13 : Sharon Chong

1. What's your latest project? 
    *Just finished 2 shows with Elvira Arul for Cancer Awareness at the No Black Tie & Rendra at Nerofico & a one week show for the Moet & Chandon event at Pavilion.
    * Working on my originals for the first time, at the moment writing whatever that comes to mind that fits a piano trio setting. Debuted 2 of them at Reza's Open Mic thingy at The Bee Jaya One in Dec.
   * The 90s Movement, a project I did with Melina, Cookie Ong & Zalila Lee for a one month stint at Hakka Republic Sept 2011 is back in action this time with an additional member, Jack Lian. We'll be playing for 2 months starting April 2012 at the Waikiki Pub, Kelab Syabas PJ. Every Wednesdays. Tribute to 90s music.

2. What inspires your music? 
    *Real life experiences & people I know as well as music from my favourite artists which are like a million of them.

3. What's your 5 Desert Island Albums?
   * Ben Folds Five - Whatever & Ever Amen
   * The Beatles - 1
   * Michael Jackson - History Past Present & Future
   * Stevie Wonder - The Definitive Colllection (UK Edition)
   * Bill Evans - Portrait in Jazz

4. Who's one artist/musician that you love but most people probably don't know of?
Ben Folds and his group Ben Folds Five. Sooooooooo under rated but he is so so so good. I love his playing and his songwriting. So cool. Check out Whatever & Ever Amen by Ben Folds Five, So awesome.

5. What's an advice you wish someone told you when you started in the arts?
Be yourself, don't try to be someone else. Make your dreams bigger than your fears. You are your own worst critic so just play, don't think so much.

6. How do we reach you?
Twitter: Sharon_Chong
Facebook:Sharon Chong

And with this, we wrap up the 13-part [Creative Fridays] blog/interview series! =)
If you've missed any interviews, here's a list of past interviews:

[Creative Fridays] #1  : Kevin Broken Scar (Melbourne Singer-Songwriter/Sound Engineer)
[Creative Fridays] #2  : Deborah Crooks (SF Bay Area Singer-Songwriter)
[Creative Fridays] #3  : Dylan Kay (UK/Auckland Jazz Guitarist)
[Creative Fridays] #4  : Azmyl Yunor (Malaysian Singer-Songwriter/College Lecturer) 
[Creative Fridays] #5  : Gustavo Assis-Brasil (Boston Jazz Guitarist/Educator)
[Creative Fridays] #6  : TragiComedy (Malaysian Singer-Songwriter)
[Creative Fridays] #7  : Candelaria (Oakland Cumbia-Dub Band)
[Creative Fridays] #8  : Pete Teo (Malaysian Singer-Songwriter/Filmmaker)
[Creative Fridays] #9  : Lori McKinney (West Virginia Bandleader/Festival Organizer)
[Creative Fridays] #10: Helen Sherrah-Davies (UK/Boston Violinist-Composer & Berklee faculty)
[Creative Fridays] #11: Adam Everett (SF Bay Area Drummer-Composer) 
[Creative Fridays] #12: Julian Chan (Malaysian Jazz Saxophonist)

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[Creative Fridays] #12: Julian Chan

1. What's your latest project? 
Trying to get a working group together, and writing tunes for it.

I have two CDs for sale:
1) WVC Trio + 1 "ELEVEN" (2009)
2) Claude Diallo Situation (feat Julian Chan) - LIVE AT NO BLACK TIE

First one was recorded when I was roped in as a +1 (no relation to Google Plus) in the pre-existing trio. The second album was recorded, while the Claude Diallo Situation band was touring in Asia. We recorded it in NBT, and managed to release it last year in 2011.

I just DIY recorded a 6-piece solo saxophone improvised piece called KARMIC SUITE. I had an unfortunate experience recently, and this was my response to it. You can check it out at http://soundcloud.com/julianchanmusic/sets/karmic-suite

2. What inspires your music?
I would say "life itself". Somehow or the other, everything inspires my music and my playing. I find that there are many parallels in non-music aspects of life, with music.

3. What's your 5 Desert Island Albums? [ the five albums that you could listen on repeat forever]

- Kenny Garrett SONGBOOK

- Miles Davis KIND OF BLUE

- Dave Koz (this one is tough, I really liked most of his albums - his debut album DAVE KOZ, LUCKY MAN, HELLO TOMORROW, OFF THE BEATEN PATH)

- Glenn Gould BACH GOLDBERG VARIATIONS

- Cannonball Adderley (this one also tough one, got a few like KNOW WHAT I MEAN, THEM DIRTY BLUES, SOMETHING ELSE, BOSSA NOVA, etc)

4. Who's one artist/musician that you love but most people probably don't know of? 
Antonio Hart, my professor in Queens College. Kicks anyone's butt on saxophone, and such a great musician and storyteller on the saxophone.

5. What's an advice you wish someone told you when you started in the arts? 
Wouldn't have mattered. I stuck to my own instincts and conscience. So a lot of advice from many people would've gone through a thorough screening, and if it works for me I'll use it, if it doesn't I don't. LOL! I did what my heart has told me to do, so here I am. :)

6. How do we reach you?
Website: www.julianchanmusic.com
Twitter: julianchansax
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julianchansax
Tumblr: www.julianchanmusic.com
Blog: www.julianchanmusic.com

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[Creative Fridays] #11: Adam Everett

Photo Courtesy of Adam Everett

In today's [Creative Fridays] interview, we have drummer Adam Everett. I first met Adam while we were both studying at San Jose State University. During my time there, I had the opportunity to perform and work closely with Adam in ensembles as well as his own project - The Adam Everett Quartet. 

Adam's varied musical influences inspired my own explorations. In fact, as I'm typing this - I'm listening to the artist he recommends in this interview. 

Let's check out what Mr. Everett is doing nowadays....

1. What's your latest project? 
I'm currently rehearsing with a new group called Jackie Gage and the Jazz Cartel. It's a mix of Modern Jazz and RnB/Hip-Hop. The instrumentation is drums (my job), acoustic bass, guitar, fender rhodes and vocalized by local San Jose up-and-comer, Jackie Gage.

2. What inspires your music? 
Everything. I recently wrote a song about wind (Windy-Stormy) and one about lightning (In Lightning), but they are almost always about women, love, or little things (Moments). 

3. What's your 5 Desert Island Albums? 
The Bad Plus - These Are The Vistas
Miguel Zenon - Alma Adentro
Robert Glasper - Canvas
Avishai Cohen - Gently Disturbed
Prefuse 73 - Surrounded by Silence

4. Who's one artist/musician that you love but most people probably don't know of? 
Son Lux. If anyone reading this knows about Son Lux, you get a quarter. Just kidding. If you don't know about Son Lux, please listen to Son Lux. His music is beautiful.

5. What's an advice you wish someone told you when you started in the arts? 
I wish someone had told me to be myself and not to compromise. It's the best advice I can give...

6. How do we reach you?
Facebook and AdamEver.com

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Looking for more Creative Fridays? =)
Check out other interviews here:
#1  : Kevin Broken Scar (Melbourne Singer-Songwriter/Sound Engineer)
#2  : Deborah Crooks (SF Bay Area Singer-Songwriter)
#3  : Dylan Kay (UK/Auckland Jazz Guitarist)
#4  : Azmyl Yunor (Malaysian Singer-Songwriter/College Lecturer) 
#5  : Gustavo Assis-Brasil (Boston Jazz Guitarist/Educator)
#6  : TragiComedy (Malaysian Singer-Songwriter)
#7  : Candelaria (Oakland Cumbia-Dub Band)
#8  : Pete Teo (Malaysian Singer-Songwriter/Filmmaker)
#9  : Lori McKinney (West Virginia Bandleader/Festival Organizer)
#10: Helen Sherrah-Davies (UK/Boston Violinist-Composer & Berklee faculty)

[Creative Fridays] #5: Gustavo Assis-Brasil

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In today's [Creative Fridays] interview, we geek out on guitar & have an exclusive interview with Jazz Guitarist Gustavo Assis-Brasil. He's most known for his awesome series of books on Hybrid Picking - explaining and dissecting this guitar technique.

I first met Gustavo when I taught at Berklee College of Music's Summer Guitar Sessions back in 2007. We had a mutual friend in common, Jazz Guitarist John Stowell who I remember talked fondly about Gustavo's playing and teaching. Eventually, I got to sit for a song in one of their duo gigs at Cambridge, MA's LilyPad, a cool intimate performance space. 

Since then, we've kept in touch and I've been following his musical adventures (which are super cool!). Gustavo has been a real inspiration to me in both his music and work in music education - so I'm really happy to have him to be a part of this series. I hope you'll be inspired too, and check out some of the cool music he's into!

And now... presenting Gustavo Assis-Brasil! =)

1. What's your latest project? 
My newest project is my new book about hybrid picking. The book is called ‘Hybrid Picking Lines & Licks (foreword by Guthrie Govan). This is my third book on the subject and it is a collection of 284 modern phrases exclusively written for the pick and fingers combined. Chapters include: Triads, Arpeggios, Pentatonics, Scales and Modes, Atonal, Intervallic, and Octave Displacement Lines and Licks.


2. What inspires your music?
It changes from time to time. I remember writing songs inspired by some paintings at some point. Lately I’ve been inspired by exercises based on permutations of notes and fingers, and also by some new chords I learn.

3. What's your 5 Desert Island Albums? 
This is a hard one. I like so many different styles, so I guess I could pick 5 from each style. The ones that come to mind writing now are: 

- “Epiphany” (Vince Mendoza), 
- "Princess Sita" (Dominique DiPiazza)
- “The 6 Unaccompanied Cello Suites Complete” by Yo-Yo Ma
- “Aerial Boundaries” (Michael Hedges)
- “Solo Guitar” by Ted Greene. 

Again, there are many many other ones, but if right now I had to pick five, I’d pick these ones. 

4. Who's one artist/musician that you love but most people probably don't know of?
Nelson Veras

5. What's an advice you wish someone told you when you started in the arts?
My grandfather used to tell me to choose something that I would love to do for the rest of my life as a profession/major, since I was a little kid. I thought I wanted to be a dentist, but 6 months before I went to college, my mom convinced me to go for a music major. 

6. How do we reach you?
Website: www.gustavoassisbrasil.com
Twitter: gabguitar
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/gustavoassisbrasil (personal)
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hybrid-Picking-for-Guitar/97934682789 (hybrid picking)
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gustavo-Assis-Brasil-Music/251450864889051 (my music page)

*****

If you liked this interview, do let me know by...

1. Clicking Like or Share this post on FB or Twitter

2. Leaving a comment below (anyone you'd like to see featured here? Questions you wished I asked?)

3. Read other [Creative Fridays] posts here:
http://www.azsamad.com/creative-fridays

Thank you so much! =)

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