Asia Entertainment tried to do the impossible, and that is to cover almost a century worth of music in a couple of hours. As a result, they only scratch the surface of the history of Vietnamese music. What I want to see is more details of how our music has changed and grown over the years, and how earlier important figures like Van Cao and Pham Duy have influenced the latter songwriters. Maybe that requires Asia to make more than one release, but they want to sell more DVDs, don’t they? Nevertheless, 75 Nam Am Nhac Viet Nam (75 Years of Vietnamese Music) is a fantastic show.

The best part about Asia is that they never recycle their arrangements, and with a handful of skillful producers like Truc Ho, Truc Sinh, Sy Dan, and Vu Tuan Duc, they always churn out great sounds. For instance, the earlier version of Dang The Phong’s “Giot Mua Thu,” which was produced years ago for Asia’s girls including Nini, Ha Vy, and Vina Uyen My, was gorgeous, but they refresh it again this time for Anh Minh and Thuy Duong.

Beside the breathtaking arrangements, Asia is doing something quite odd on this video by pairing up singers from the two different generations. Kieu Nga and Trish on “May Lang Thang” is a strange combination, but the production pulls them together in a creative way. Kieu Nga starts off “May Lang Thang” with a mid tempo so that her strong and clear vocals can dominate. When Trish enters the stage, the beat accelerates and she rides right inside it. Her voice is small, but not overshadowed by the pulsating club groove. This is one of Trish’s best performances I have heard in years. The same goes for Thanh Tung’s “Mua Ngau” with Thanh Lan and Da Nhat Yen on the same stage. The arrangement switches to fast tempo when Da Nhat Yen kicks in. She is actually the only younger generation that topped her older partner. I am not saying Thanh Lan is not good, but the song doesn’t seem to fit her well. Another indelible blend is Don Ho and Dieu Huong. Backed up by Don Ho’s whispery vocals (his special talent), Dieu Huong gives a remarkable performance of her own “Vi Do La Em.” Don Ho also delivers a heartfelt performance on her romantic ballad “Chi Co Mot Thoi.”

Asia 4 doesn’t impress me much with their dance version of Duc Huy’s “Va Toi Cung Yeu Em,” but homeboy Chosen got the flow. His delivery is fast, clear, and way more natural than Hearts to Exist. His rhymes are not that interesting except for the line, “Bun Bo Hue with a little bit of rice.” Now that is Vietnamese ghetto style.

On the weaker side, Lam Nhat Tien could not express Van Cao’s “Thien Thai” to the fullest. His performance is not dramatic enough. Nguyen Khang and Vu Tuan Duc don’t go well together on Doan Chuan and Tu Linh’s “Duong Ve Viet Bac.” Thien Kim does not bring anything to Trinh Cong Son’s “Tinh Nho.” Still, Asia has once again delivered a fine presentation from musical arrangement to stage design to song selection. We’re also feeling their new protégé, Dang The Luan who has tremendous potential in becoming Duy Khanh’s successor.

In Duong Xua Van Dam, Quoc Trung gives Vietnamese traditional music (cheo, quan ho and hat xam) an unorthodox makeover. His masterful arrangements not only revived the aesthetic experience, but also retained the original flavor. By cascading eastern instruments into world-music rhythm, he has crafted some of the most exotic and imaginative sounds. For instance, the keyboard and the sixteen-stringed zither play side by side on “Dong Song Mot Bo” creating a sensational east-joins-west harmony. Duong Xa Van Dam is rich, colorful and exquisite. Even though you can download high-quality MP3, I encourage you to get the original album when it is available. Quoc Trung deserves the support for his inventive work.

Thu Phuong has quite an ambition. She wants to gain young and new fans without losing her dedicated followers. Instead of releasing an album with various tunes, which is what most young pop stars including Dam Vinh Hung, Nguyen Khang, and Ho Quynh Huong have done, to cover a wide range of demographics, Thu Phuong drops three records simultaneously with each pushing for a specific audience. It’s a much smarter tactic then trying to cramp everything into one. She knows damn well that Doan Chuan and Tu Linh’s “Thu Quyen Ru” and Duy Manh’s “Kiep Do Den” won’t sound right on the same album. As long as she separates the short-lived from timeless tunes, I don’t care how much she wants to entertain the young crowds.

Em Ra Di Mua Thu, which targets the experienced listeners, is the finest out of the three albums. The record is played off on a thematic approach—similar to the classic Doan Khuc Mua Thu Ha Noi in which Hong Nhung gives us a tour of the romantic and picturesque details of the Viet Nam’s capitol. From the opening of Pham Trong Cau’s “Em Ra Di Mua Thu” to the closing of Pham Duy’s “Mua Thu Chet,” Thu Phuong performs with all of her heart to paint eleven gorgeous musical landscapes based around the theme of fall. Each track is carefully chosen and attentively arranged to give listeners the aesthetic beauty of changing leafs season.

The album starts off with the title track produced by Le Sy Du (who is responsible for nine tracks on the album). His arrangement is simple but pushes Thu Phuong’s performance. On the break, the smooth saxophone solo adds rich and sensuous harmonies to her unequivocal delivery. After the break, the sax joins along side with Thu Phuong to create exotic details. On Pham Manh Cuong’s “Thu Ca,” she pours out her soul on the marvelous Latin rhythm section arranged by Trung Nghia. Another fabulous contribution from Trung Nghia is his production on Pham Duy’s “Mua Thu Chet.” His intoxicating jazz groove allows Thu Phuong to reinvigorates the old tune. Teaming up with Ho Kim Hieu (who is an unknown vocalist to me, but she does has a mesmerizing voice), Thu Phuong gives Ngo Thuy Mien’s “Mua Thu Cho Em” a sensational rendition. She also provides Phu Quang’s “Dau Phai Mua Thu” an exhilarating presentation with her genuine interpretation.

Em Ra Di Mua Thu is a great follow up from her previous triumphant Nhu Mot Loi Chia Tay (a Trinh Cong Son’s songbook); however, her only weakness is the breath issue. I let it slid on the last album because she was using Trinh’s music to express her emotion. Breath management does make a huge difference, at least for me. Take the duet with Le Thu on Pham Duy’s “Nuoc Mat Mua Thu” for example. It’s definitely a savory collaboration between the two generations, but we can decipher why Le Thu is still superior. Her technical skill is flawless despite of her age. Nevertheless, I have to give it to Thu Phuong. She has crafted another priceless record. Of course, the sugary albums she released to win the young hearts don’t count. Let’s hope she will improve her breath control and won’t record any more syrupy albums.

The young Le Quyen has a captivating timbre —powerful and perspicuous—with no breathe or pitch issues. While her technical skill is promising, her music selection is disappointing. The materials on her debut Giac Mo Co That do not bring out the aesthetics of her marvelous vocals. She is wasting her talent with the translated ballads (“Ve Ben Em” and “Phut Giay Hanh Phuc”) and saccharine pop tunes (Le Quang’s “Quen Mot Cuoc Tinh” and Vo Thien Thanh’s “Trang Chieu”). As much as I enjoy Tuan Nghia’s “Hay Tra Loi Em,” the performance doesn’t leave a lasting impact. With that strong and slightly raspy voice, she can do better to elevate her stature. I am looking forward to a wiser decision-making (musical choices) in her next work.

I am not kidding. If Dinh Tien Dat’s D. is considered a hip-hop album, we’re in trouble. I hate to be so hard on someone who tries his hardest to bring hip-hop into the Vietnamese pop culture, but he does it all wrong. His hip-hop debut is straight artless. Even before listening to the album, I could predict the outcome, yet I still give it a shot to see if I could pick out something interesting. Apparently, I walk away with nothing but frustration.

One of hip-hop’s essential elements is the art of storytelling. Hip-hop is a canvas that allows artists to paint their personal stories, and Mr. Dee has none. He is not a lyricist, and the only tale he could tell is the bittersweet love of Romeo and Juliet, not even his own. Do we really need Mr. Dee to remind us Shakespeare’s classic romance? Come on Dee, give us something original, something that moves us, something that means deeper than the banal relationship you’ve penned on “Roi Xa,” which sounds like you’re trying to flip a romantic ballad. Nonetheless, I sympathize Dee’s limited subject choices. The true form of hip-hop is self-expression; however, that true form will never make its way to Viet Nam. I am not saying that we don’t have talented artists to do so, but it will never happen until there is such thing as Freedom of Speech in Viet Nam. If Dee or any other rapper expresses his political view, something like what Eminem did with “Mosh” before the election, he would be spitting behind bars instead of on stage.

Even if we can look past the lyrical content, the technique, which Dee has yet to master, is not forgivable. No matter how many times he tries to switch it up, his stilted flow still shows. His delivery is emotionless and he can’t ride the beat. Even on the club joints, which are plenty on this album, he tries to catch up with the beat instead of floats with it. Although his singing is horrendous, it is not the most disappointed thing on the album. What gets to me is that D. featured not one but four Korean-robbed tunes (“Roi Xa,” “Con Tim Tinh Yeu,” “Nguoi Da Khong Con” and “Biet Em Da Ve”). With saccharine Korean grooves overcoating lame Vietnamese lyrics, I don’t know what kind of music it is, but certainly not hip-hop.

I have read somewhere that Dee is working on his next release. Please man, learn to love and respect the music. Be original, be innovative, or stop making artificial hip-hop records. It’s really a damn shame.

5 Dong Ke, an eccentric name, signifies the individual characteristics from a group that made up of four (the fifth member, Giang Son, has moved on to be a solo songwriter) young and voluptuous ladies whose gorgeous voices blend together seamlessly to create breathtaking harmonies. What sets these girls (Bao Lan, Hong Ngoc, Thuy Linh and Lan Huong) apart from other bands is their willingness to explore new path. Their latest album, Tu Tinh Ca, which took two years to prepare, showcases their jaw-dropping a cappella techniques. And the most striking part about the band is the way these four talented musicians breathe together with a kind of connection that can only be accomplished through love, respect, practice and devotion.

Through Tu Tinh Ca, the girls transform familiar songs into their personal statements by daringly maneuvering around old song structures to create new sounds. With perfect intonations and rich melodic lines, they give Trinh Cong Son’s “Tien Thoai Luong Nan” a pure rejuvenation. Their a-cappella rendition, which filled with exquisite vocal harmonies, is one of the finest presentations on this particular composition. Their interpretation of “Ngau Nhien” is also an astonishing invigoration of Trinh’s work. The rhythm section is silky smooth; the tonal detail is exotic; and the snaring beatbox is off the hook. When the tempo doubles on the second half, the delivery is even more irresistible. The flow becomes instantaneous, and then the wordless vocals end the song with a stimulating novelty.

Besides Trinh’s music, 5 Dong Ke also recovers popular pieces of Nguyen Anh 9 and Tran Trinh. On the medley “Tu Tinh Ca”—which consisted of Nguyen Anh 9’s “Buon Oi Xin Chao Mi,” “Co Don,” “Loi Ve” and “Xin Nhu Lan May Trang”—the voices weave in and out of one another, complement each other’s thoughts, support each other’s lines, back up each other’s verses, share each other’s soul, and create a heart-to-heart musical conversation. Plus the changing in tempo, the whistling and the fingers snapping permeate tremendous energy and spontaneous vibes into the elivening performance. Even though their version of Tran Trinh’s timeless “Le Da” (lyrics by Ha Huyen Chi) is not the best I have heard, it is certainly a distinctive one.

With fruitful collaboration and tight integration between the members, the girls have created some of the most compelling and refreshing works in such a minimal style. Tu Tinh Ca is definitely impressive, but the length of the album is way too short (only four tracks, a medley and a bonus). An instant replay is almost required after the first spin. With a short list of tracks and without complicated orchestration, two years to complete the recordings seem like a long time, but the outcome is rewarding. It shows that the girls have invested a tremendous amount of time perfecting their vocal chords.

From a technical standpoint, Nghi Van is better than most of her peers (young pop singers). Her breath control is nearly flawless, and her bittersweet voice is distinctive enough to stand apart. In Nghi Van Vol.3, her cordial deliveries are compelling on songs with sweet and light-touched emotions, such as Bao Truong’s “Sao Doi Ngoi,” Viet Anh’s “Nhung Con Duong Vang Anh,” and Tran Tien’s “Em Van Nhu Ngay Xua.” On Tuong Van’s “Dem Lao Sao,” Nghi Van and Tuan Hung give the romantic ballad a delicious duet. Their strident quality works marvelously well together. Oh the flip side, she is not expressive enough to make a personal statement like the soulful Ngoc Khue or the sultry Khanh Linh. On Quoc Bao’s “Dem Hoa,” the bossa-nova piano solo is more riveting than her vocal performance. Even though there is room for improvement, the album is still outstanding. Maybe she just needs more drama (not the kind of Nguyen Hong Nhung’s drama though) to reach deeper into the music.

In contrast to Nghi Van, Hong Hanh articulates her sentiment quite well on her latest album, Canh Nau Trong Dem. She refreshes Nguyen Anh 9’s composition, “Mua Thu Canh Nau,” with a heartfelt delivery over the blues-inflected groove. She also revives Trong Kien’s “Got Chan Phieu Du” with a Latin-jazz rendition. With flows reminiscent of My Le, Hong Hanh gives romantic ballads, including Quoc An’s “Vang Trang Ky Niem,” Minh Khang’s “Danh Roi Tinh Yeu” and “Dong Song Khong Troi,” some sweet sensations. In fact, the album is perfect for the young and in-love (or out-of-love) listeners, despite a few banal tunes were included.

Quang Ly only covers materials that he can fully convey. As a result, almost any song he performed hits the mark. I like the way a Visualgui.com commenter describes Quang Ly: “He’s handsome, neat, nice, but a bit picky in choosing his repertoires.” From looking at his most current photo (found on the web), he sure is a fine gentleman at the age of fifty-four. I have never met him before, so I don’t know how nice or neat he is, but based on his Noi Nho Mua Dong, he is definitely meticulous in his song selections. With a list of compositions from highly respected songwriters such as Trinh Cong Son, Phu Quang, Doan Chuan and Tu Linh, Quang Ly revives these timeless tunes with his unmistakable sensitivity.

Quang Ly’s distinctiveness is in his relaxed and imaginative presentation. In the album-opener “Ha Noi Dem Tro Gio” (poem by Chu Lai and music by Trong Dai), he paints Ha Noi’s musical landscapes with his pure and passionate vocals. When he croons, “Ha Noi oi, ta nho khong quen / Ha Noi oi, trong trai tim ta” (“Oh Ha Noi, I always remember (and never forget) / Oh Ha Noi, you’ve always in my heart”), his unequivocal delivery shows he means every word he says. In addition, the gorgeous, smooth-toned saxophone solo gives the composition an aesthetic enhancement. Trinh Cong Son’s “Doan Khuc Thu Ha Noi” is another mesmerizing composition that is filled with Ha Noi’s luxurious details. Despite how many singers have tackled Trinh’s music, Quang Ly’s take on Trinh’s work is as fresh and invigorating as it was upon first relinquish. His calm and unadorned phrasing transports every bar with breathless ease. Elsewhere, he sings with tremendous sentiment, over the simple but soulful arrangement, to accentuate the lyrics in “Thuyen va Bien” (poem by Xuan Quynh and music by Phan Huynh Dieu), but the effortlessness is still under control. This is a technique that not too many singers can accomplish; yet Quang Ly mastered it.

Noi Nho Mua Dong is an album that makes every track counts. There is no wasted space on the record. From the title track (poem by Thoa Phuong and music by Phu Quang), Tran Tien’s “Toc Gio Thoi Bay,” Phan Huynh Dieu’s “Thu Tinh Cuoi Mua Thu,” Pham Trong Cau’s “Mua Thu Khong Tro Lai” to Doan Chuan and Tu Linh’s “Goi Gio Cho May Ngan Bay,” Quang Ly gives unforgettable performances one after another. However, he could have not done it without the hands of the skillful producers who laid down elegant and ingenious arrangements to match up with his voice. If singers were picky in choosing the right music to fit their voice, it is highly recommended that they do so to bring listeners a tight set – song for song – recordings.

When I am about to be brainwashed by meaningless lyrics from young and trendy songwriters, Hoang Viet Khanh comes to resuscitate. In Tinh Khuc Hoang Viet Khanh, which featured ten of his selected ballads, he has me paid attention to his every word because the music is filled with poetic aesthetics. In fact, his compositions could be read like poems without musical notes.

The first time I was struck by “Cho Xuan,” the image of a mother, waiting spring after spring for her son to return, never escapes my mind. Backed up by the soul-stirring orchestral arrangement from Luan Hoang (HVK’s younger brother who is responsible for the production of the album), Trinh Vinh Trinh gives one of her finest performances. Her bona fide delivery aerates the song. When she blazes the chorus, the smoke of the burning golden leafs is visible.

Beside TVT, Cam Van is no less expressive in her poignant rendition of “Goc Nay Cua Em.” The scabrous bite in her voice thickens the emotional narrative of a parentless child being lonely in the cold corner of an empty street. Accompanied by Thanh Huy’s strumming guitar, she sings with so much soul that we could almost hear the cries in her voice. She has placed herself in HVK’s genuine lyrical content, and performs as if she has lived the character’s life.

Although Ngoc Anh is younger than Cam Van, she has a stickier (not necessarily better) gravel quality in her voice. With a razor-sharp emotional expression, she gives a nostalgic presentation of “Dong Song va Tinh Toi,” a river that is filled with HVK’s childhood recollections. Her duet with Quang Minh on “Tim Toi” is a strange combination. Unfortunately, his sweet voice doesn’t blend right with her densed timbre.

Quang Ly and My Dung are the two vocalists I’ve heard of for the first time, yet their indelible contributions attract me. With his pitch-perfect vocals combined with his sinuous phrasings, Quang Ly gives “Bong Dang” and “Ngay Xua Yeu Dau” (HVK’s first composition written when he was eighteen) exotic tinctures. My Dung also delivers a ravishing recitation of “Nho Ve Da Lat.”

Unlike today’s popular hits, HVK’s music takes time to assimilate. Each song requires personal attention, and best to be experienced in an intimate atmosphere. What makes HVK a fine musician is that he is both a composer and lyricist. The combination gives singers a solid understanding of his music for their individual interpretations; therefore, they are capable of expressing his art to its fullest potential.

Like A Love Supreme, Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus documented four timeless masterpieces. Unlike John Coltrane’s spirituality, Mingus’s joints are filled with humanity. Charles Mingus Quartet (trumpeter Ted Curson, alto saxophonist/bass clarinetist Eric Dolphy, bassist/bandleader Charles Mingus, and drummer Dannie Richmond) is at its best. The musicians feel each other’s vibes, and play together like soldiers in combat, especially the level of energy they bring in “Folk Forms, No. 1,” which sets off the atmosphere for the next controversial piece. “Original Faubus Fables” is one of the most powerful and political jazz compositions in which Mingus and his musicians exercise their freedom of speech, “Boo! Nazi Fascist Supremacist / Boo! Ku Klux Klan (with your evil plan).” There is so much madness coming out of this tune, particularly the shouting from Mingus and Richmond. The screaming of Curson’s trumpet solo is just crazy. Once the band lets the chaos out of its system, it drops the mellow groove on “What Love.” Although the insanity is toned down, the spontaneous never left the building. The energetic mood picks up again on the forth track, which has a long title, “All the Things You Could Be By Now If Sigmund Freud’s Wife Was Your Mother.” CMPCM is amazing, and it shows how daring these musicians were willing to push their art to the limit. Imagine watching these cats in live action; it must be a rewarding experience.