The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will present the concert "The Andrew Tuason Big Band" under its "Jazz Up" series in September. Local veteran musician Andrew Tuason will take the stage with his jazz big band and guest singers Sherine Wong and Maria Rosa Tuason to perform swing jazz classics from the 1930s to 1950s, paying tribute to legendary jazz giants Glenn Miller and Duke Ellington.
Jazz music performed by big band ensembles has been popular in the United States since the 1930s. Miller and Ellington were notable composers, arrangers, and bandleaders that defined the significant band era and composed some of the greatest hits. In this concert, The Andrew Tuason Big Band will play a number of the jazz favorites of the two masters, such as "In the Mood", "Moonlight Serenade", "Take the 'A' Train", "Mood Indigo," and more. Guest singers Wong and Tuason will also perform jazz golden classics "Fly Me to the Moon" and "What's New" respectively, with their soulful and beautiful voices. For the finale, the musicians will perform "Sing, Sing, Sing" to showcase their skills and passion with swinging and bouncy rhythms, and conclude the concert on a high note.
As the pioneer of big band sound arrangement, Glenn Miller was the first bandleader to use a 13-piece horn section in his set-up, laying the foundation for a performance format that is now called big band. He was also the first artist to have a million-selling record in contemporary American pop music history. Ellington created a distinctive music style for his big band with his innovative harmonic arrangements and ingenious combinations of instruments and was a major force in the music scene for 50 years. A winner of 13 Grammy Awards, Ellington was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1966.
Andrew Tuason is a renowned local musician who has worked as a record producer, composer, arranger, conductor and music director since the 1980s, and has received numerous awards in the past, including the Best Arranger Award at the 10th Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs Award. Tuason was the producer of singer Jacky Cheung's Canto-jazz album "Private Corner", released in 2010, and took part in most of the music arrangement of the songs, demonstrating a perfect blend of jazz sounds and pop music. In early 2021, Tuason formed The Andrew Tuason Big Band to bring the sound of big band music back to Hong Kong's mainstream music scene, and introduce the beauty of the big band sound to more audiences. Most of the key members in the band have been working closely with Tuason in recording sessions and concert tours for over 30 years. Last year, The Andrew Tuason Big Band was invited to perform in "Uncle Ray - The Celebratory Farewell Concert", where they received critical acclaim.
The concert "Jazz Up" Series: "The Andrew Tuason Big Band" will be staged at 8 pm on September 8 (Thursday) at the Concert Hall of Hong Kong City Hall. Tickets priced at $180, $260 and $340 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone credit card bookings, please call 2111 5999. For program enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_1375.html.
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