Feelin’ the flavorful beat and the savory guitar riffs from Jimi Hendrix’s “May This Be Love.” Dig the lyrics too:

Some people say day-dreaming’s
for all the lazy minded fools
with nothing else to do.

So let them laugh, laugh at me,
so just as long as I have you
to see me through,
I have nothing to lose ‘long as I have you.

Quang Ly’s “Nu Hon Goi Gio” gets me everytime. I have linked to the tune before, but still loving the poetry lyrics from Hien Vy:

Moi em mong do la do nhu mo
Cho anh nho gio hon vao la vao moi em
Hon em anh mong tinh nong
Nho con gio thoang hon vao toc em.

Mad props to Hoang Viet Khanh for turning this gorgeous poem into a wonderful song.

I must admit that I have been listening to Quang Dung’s new version of Dieu Huong’s “Vi Do La Em” more than my main man Tuan Ngoc. The little intro he does in the begining accompained by the romantical piano is just irresistible. Quang Dung has followed the pop rule. If he could get the girls to come, the boys will follow. Damn you, pimp!

De roi tu do ta yeu em khong ngai ngan
De roi tu do trong buoc chan nghe gan hon
Mot ngay lai den trai tim ta dai cuong
Roi tung chieu len mang noi buon vo bien

Last Friday, the web team at Vassar shut down shop and headed to the city for a much-needed break and to revive our creativities. We dropped by The International Center for Photography, MoMA, and had a long lunch at the Hudson Cafeteria. There’s nothing more rewarding than working with group of talented, humorous individuals. Last Saturday (August 19) marked my fourth year at Vassar. Time sure flies when you enjoy the work you do. Over the past few years, I have turned down all freelance projects to focus all my energy on Vassar. Every piece that I have churned out for the school, I am pleased with the result. Each site reflects both my personal style as well as the institution’s image. As for the campus environment, it has become part of my life, and the web crew is like my extended family. I am way too attached to this place. Thanks Vassar folks for making my working life enjoyable!

Not too many positive feedbacks on my previous layout, so I am changing the design again. Back to white, of course.

Update: Damn! Very strong reaction. Thank you all for the feedbacks. I am taking off the girlie/gay pattern for now. I’ll work on my own design later.

Do Tu Dong, a teacher who cajoles his way into a student’s pants by offering a higher grade, is caught on audio (Vietnamese only). What a damn shame!

Thuy Van, the hotcake we all drooled over on Nguyen Hung’s Da Vu Quoc Te, is dropping her debut album, No Le Mot Cuoc Tinh. Not sure if she can sing better than shake her ass, but she can be my slave anytime. You can watch her interview (part 1, part 2, and part 3) at VNCR.

The OutKasteers, Big Boi and Andre 3000, are still kicking together on their newest release, Idlewild, one of the most anticipated hip-hop joints of the year. Hip-hop has been on the idleside lately; therefore, we need the “two dope boys in a Cadillac” to bring back her spirit. Musically, OutKast has never stood still. The Southern duo has given hip-hop a fresh vibe by funking her up with their previous releases, and they have done it again on Idlewild with jazz and blues flavors.

With The Love Below, Dre had revealed that he is ready to move beyond rap, even though he could still flow rhymes better than croon ballads. That still holds true on Idlewild, particularly his off-key singing on the guitar-strumming blues over hard beat of “Idlewild Blue (Don’t Chu Worry ‘Bout Me),” and the slick jive of “PJ & Rooster.” His singing is passable, but I would rather hear him rhymes with Big Boi. He surprises me, however, with his chops on “When I Look In Your Eyes.” He’s not Louis Armstrong or a true jazz singer, but he could maneuver his limited vocal range around the swing orchestration.

Even though Dre is the creative juice behind the album, Big still does what he does best. He spits some of the wicked verses throughout the album, noticeably on “Peaches,” in which his lyrical storytelling is as sharp as always. Although Big is not ready to joint Dre’s singing, he has his own jazz swag. In “Call The Law,” he drives the hard-swing beat (seasoned with tasty keyboard licks) with his smooth style and speedy delivery while Janelle Monáe holds down the vocal lines with her strong, clear tone. I wish Big had dropped another verse though.

Unfortunately, Idlewild as a whole is not coherent. The album has way too many interludes between the tracks, too much singing hooks, but not enough strong productions to support the def verses. The saddest part, however, is that Big and Dre don’t sound as a unit anymore.

Want some contemporary jazz? Check out Hidden Land from Béla Fleck & the Flecktones. The music is way out there. Lead by a virtuosic banjoist, the group brings an unusual easthetic to the world of jazz with the fuse of bluegrass, rock, and world music. Hidden Land may not speak to jazz purist, but it is a damn fine work from the playful interactions to colorful intonations to skillful improvisations.

Sonny Rollins’ The Complete Prestige Recordings is the 7-CD set showcasing Rollins’ street, hard-bop style. He has a big, bold, and beautiful tone on the tenor saxophone, and his thematic improvisation is both imaginative and elaborative.

I am still working my way into Bill Evans’ 12-disc The Complete Riverside Recordings. I have a thing for jazz piano, and Evans is one of my favorites. So far, the trio is amazing. Evans has an exceptional sense of jazz harmony as well as a sensational lyrical individuality.

It’s not hard to tell why Quang Dung gets mad love from his clear-heeled fans. He’s a romantic cat. His previous album, Em, is filled with sweet, lovely duets. His newest release, Yeu, finds Vietnamese-pop prince charmer than ever, especially with Dieu Huong’s ballads. From “Mot Doi Van Nho,” “Chi Co Mot Thoi,” “Doi Khong Con Nhau,” “Van Con Yeu” to “O Lai Ta Di,” Quang Dung has captured the musical articulation as well as the lyrical expression. Although he had done a flawless job of recovering “Vi Do La Em,” his vocal maneuverability isn’t as skillful as Tuan Ngoc’s. In Quang Dung’s version, the soul is there, but the technique is not. As for Trinh Cong Son’s portion, I am disappointed that Quang Dung recovers “Uot Mi,” “Tuoi Da Buon,” and “Tinh Nho.” Even though he sings these tunes with tremendous passion, they have been battered to death, and there is no way he could have saved them. Instead, he just added himself to the list of Trinh’s molester. Although his deliveries on “Chi Co Em Trong Doi,” “Cho Doi Chut On,” and “Con Ai Voi Ai” are passable, I prefer Yeu to be strictly a Dieu Huong’s songbook. It would make a fantastic album for lovers.

A simple but savory and healthy Canh Cu Sen. The natural sweet from the lotus root gives the broth an exotic flavor. I like the pig’s tail too, especially the crunchy tendon. Since mom cooked the soup, I don’t have to worry about the way the pig’s tail being prepared. As you can see from the photo, she had stripped off most of the pig’s skin.

Instruction on how to pack up your suitcase from Kobe Tai who you may have seen on “Executions On Butt Row” (whatever that is). Honestly, I have never seen Kobe in action.