Thought that I would never make another post on Vietnamese DVDs, but Asia latest show, Bon Mua, featured some worth-mentioning performances. So let’s get to it.

The show kicks off with a four-season medley. All the youngsters did an excellent job with Trinh Cong Son’s ballads, but when Nguyen Khang and Y Phuong came together, a luscious duet was born. Y Phuong who is now officially my new girl brought down the joint with her powerful lines in “Bon Mua Thay La” and could match up with Nguyen Khang’s thuggish voice. On the Doan Chuan & Tu Linh’s medley, I was hoping for an encore of Nguyen Khang and Y Phuong, not Diem Lien. Nothing against the sweet Diem Lien, but Y Phuong’s voice is stronger and darker, something to die for. Of course, Y Phuong’s technical skill isn’t as solid as Diem Lien. She still has that breath control issue. And we could witness that in her performance of “Chiec La Cuoi Cung” along side with Bao Yen. Both voices are exceptional, yet the technical skills set Bao Yen above Y Phuong. But don’t worry baby, you still have plenty of time to work on that.

The return of Thuy Duong alone is worth penning. It’s about time, Asia. She is gorgeous, and her laid-back style, which is a perfect complement to that calm and elegant look, is irresistible. Her slow-burning rendition of Van Cao’s “Ben Xuan” is an ideal example of interpreting an old work. Her dreary phrasing made it sounded as if she was living in her own world. As listeners, we either have to get with the program or we out. Even when the arrangement got dramatic, she never seemed to be excited and still maintained her serenity. Love that attitude.

More highlights of the show are from Ngoc Ha, Dalena, and Henry Chuc. Ngoc Ha’s version of Pham Dinh Chuong’s “Tieng Song Huong” is along the line of Duc Tuan’s, but hers was not long enough to create an epic piece like his. The bosa nova-inflected “Hoang Vang” isn’t so bad. It doesn’t hurt to jazz up old tune once in awhile. The drawback is that both Dalena and Henry Chuc have no chops for scat singing.

As for negativity, enough of ink has been spilled on sex before, so I am not going to repeat myself. Besides, none of these broads, including Da Nhat Yen, Thuy Huong, Anh Minh and Vina Uyen Mi, could get me hard anymore. Ho Le Thu has topped them all. One thing I do like to point out, however, is that little Trish was freaking me out for a minute.

The Dave Brubeck Quartet’s album is the jazz joint I could jam to all night when I need a Time Out. Every track is a classic, and “Take Five” is a novelty. As the title of the song suggested, “Take Five” is based on a 5/4 meter, which is five beats per measure, instead of the traditional three or four. In the introduction, Jone Morello’s drums set up the meter, and joined by an invariant vamp from Brubeck’s piano. Then Paul Desmond’s unctuously sweet alto saxophone flow over a rhythmic and harmonic ostinato of the piano like gas gushes through glass. Since Desmond improvises on one-measure vamp instead of on the structure, the pitches are drawn mainly from the modal scales, something Miles Davis was famous for. The tune gets even better with the dope drum drops backing up by Brubeck’s insistent ostinato. All I can say is “S’wonderful.”

Although her fingers are no where near the size of Fats Waller’s bananas, she’s capable of hopping and jumping her way around his infamous “Ain’t Misbehavin’.” Her tempo isn’t as fast as his, but she demonstrates her ability to stride. This wonderful performance is taken from Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz. Nice chops, Keys!

Duke Ellington’s “Melancholia,” a piano-solo composition, got a lyrical treatment from Norah Jones. The live performance is extracted from her appearance on Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz. Although Jones herself admitted that writing lyrics to the Duke’s composition is sacrilegious, she pulled it off well without killing it.

In addition to his virtuoso flow, flawless breath control, and idiosyncratic syncopation, Jay-Z has my admiration for his improvisational skill, which means he doesn’t write down his rhymes. Words just roll off his tongue as he feels the beat. Comparing to Jiggaman, I am not even a small time crook, but I know exactly what he meant on the second verse of “Moment of Clarity”:

I dumb down for my audience
To double my dollars
They criticize me for it
Yet they all yell “Holla”
If skills sold
Truth be told
I’d probably be
Lyric-ly
Talib Kweli
Truthfully
I wanna rhyme like Common Sense
(But I did five Mil)
I ain’t been rhyming like Common since
When your sense got that much in common
And you been hustling since
Your inception
Fuck perception
Go with what makes sense

Here is Mr. Dee’s “Di Hoc” from his Giao Thong album. Hope you can find something creative for your skit with this fun, encouraging tune. Would love to hear what you do with it.

Even my mama is feeling this joint!

In addition, I have uploaded “Trong Com” for you. Although the beat and the rhymes aren’t exciting, the tune featured your babes 5 Dong Ke holding down the vocals.

With her Billie Holiday’s sense of swing, Madeleine Peyroux gives “I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate” a playful rendition. Love the way Marian McPartland’s spare keys accommodate Peyroux’s rag-like guitar. They work so well together. The live performance is taken from Piano Jazz program.

Been pimping Young Jeezy’s The Inspiration in my ride lately. Love the little adlib in the begining of “You Know What It Is.” I am definitely feeling this part: “Everybody fucks wit’ you cause of what you do my nigga / What you say, what you speak on these motherfuckin’ beats nigga / Only thing I can motherfuckin’ tell you on some real G shit / Is to stay focused and let these niggaz know you still the… [realest nigga alive].”

A bowl of Bun Thang and a like-minded companion are all that I needed to get by the cold-ass winter night. Thank you for a simple taste of Ha Noi!

While in Panama, this guy was bitten by a mosquito that was host to Bot Fly eggs. The eggs subsequently hatched under his skin.