Saturday morning with nothing to do, I hopped on the train to NYC for the reopening of MoMA. Despite the wet weather, the free admission (worth $20) attracted tons of viewers. The line was ridiculously long so there was no way for me to stand in and wait. As I walked away with disappointment, I spotted this beautiful waterfall view. It’s a great spot for reading, eating, and chatting. Speaking of eating, I was craving for my favorite Chinese lunchbox (Roast Duck/Roast Pork with Rice) so I took the subway to Chinatown. After a 4 bucks meal, I decided to head back to Poughkeepsie because the rain poured harder. While at Grand Central station, I stopped for a few minutes to enjoy an underground breakdance. Michael Jackson’s impersonator was the only performer the last time I was there. This time he recruited an impressive crew with him. Even on a dreary day, NYC still has tons of activities. It’s definitely a city that never sleeps.

I saw great potential in Nguyen Khang when I first spotted him on various Asia and Van Son videos. His thicken texture timbres caught my attention. While I was impressed by his mature handling of Trinh’s materials on 10 Tuyet Khuc Trinh Cong Son, I was disappointed with the boxset Trai Tim Ben Le, where he performed mostly radio-friendly and Chinese-translated songs. I didn’t hold anything against him since the boxset released under Bien Tinh Music. I assumed that he did not have much control over the production as a young artist who tried to break into the industry. Beside, the credit on the back of the boxset stated that Hoang Ha Thu was responsible for the selection of the songs. Now that he got his foot in the door, made a strong stand for himself in the Vietnamese entertainment industry, and even launched his own record label, is he successful in crafting his own works?

Cung La Tram Nam is his debut album under Nguyen Khang Production. Although it is a decent work, not every song fits his vocals. Only Anh Tai’s “Tinh Mai Ngu Ngo” and Phu Quang’s “Ha Noi Ngay Tro Ve” allow his powerful voice to excel. The invigorating musical arrangement combines with his warm tones provide “Bien Can” a refreshing flavor.

Let’s skip all the translated songs but I would like to briefly mention, “Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word,” a track that could have been a fantastic experiment if he performs solo. Tuan Dung and Nguyen Khuong (his brother?) could not hold up to his authoritative vocals, which ends up ruined the track. Otherwise, the way he deepened his voice produced an enticing tune. The thick, heavy, and rich qualities make up for his imperfect English. Unfortunately, when his voice doesn’t reach its peak, he sounds dull even with the duet with Diem Lien on Quoc Vuong’s “Hay Noi Voi Em.”

His follow up album, Coi Mua, is much improved from the previous. He is wiser on choosing tracks that he could fully express. With the help from Duy Cuong, Nguyen Khang reaches deep into the desperation of Trinh Cong Son’s “Toi Oi, Dung Tuyet Vong.” He flows gorgeously into the title track “Coi Mua” written by Le Tran Hoang. Furthermore, Cat Tien’s sexiness reading and Cadillac’s soulful background vocals enhances the experience significantly. He rises and falls with full of passion on Nguyen Anh 9’s “Co Don.” Elsewhere, his deliveries are unblemished on Vinh Phuoc’s “Le Tinh Roi,” Vu Tuan Duc’s “Toi Khong Con Yeu Em,” Pham Duy’s “Duong Em Di,” and of course Trinh Cong Son’s “Tuoi Da Buon.”

While Dong Son gives a beautiful composition on Duc Huy’s “Nhu Da Dau Yeu,” Nguyen Khang could not bypassed Don Ho’s performance. Though his version is not bad, Don Ho injects so much soul into the work that it is hard for other singers to even come close to. “Lac Mat Mua Xuan” (a translated song by Lu Lien) is overrated. Too many singers covered it including Dam Vinh Hung. Though I must give credit to Duc Trinh for the nice beats.

Just from listening to these two albums, Nguyen Khang has definitely progressed himself. Within a short period, he has paved his own path for his singing career. Though he has made substantial accomplishments, there are still plenty of rooms for advancement. Let’s hope that he will continue to expand his artistic vision and push himself to a higher ground.

Two compelling computer generated motion pictures are running neck-to-neck at the box office. Fortunately each targets a slightly different audience. While The Polar Express is pure fantasy, The Incredibles contains a bit of real life situation.

I am feeling the spirit of Christmas already from watching The Polar Express. Not only the high-end computer animation blows me away but Tom Hanks also has done a marvelous job of providing the voices to the characters. As the train takes the kids to the South Pole, The Polar Express takes viewers on a magical roller coaster with its astonishing digital effects. The best part is when the ticket flows off the train, travels around the striking visual sceneries, and makes its way back into the train. The whole process is imaginative. The hot chocolate serving scene, where the waiters dancing, singing, and pouring the drinks, is both creative and fun.

I should have taken Samantha to watch The Polar Express instead of The Incredibles. She could not sit still for two hours even I provided her popcorns and drink. She went from sitting on her own seat to lying down on my lap. It doesn’t mean that The Incredibles is not incredible. It aims more toward older kids and adults. Of course, Pixel’s CG animation is nothing less than superior. On top of the mind-boggling action packed scenes, the terrific writing is what holds the film together. Every family has its own problem and the superhero is no exception. In the beginning the superhero kids (Dash and Violet) are fussing with each other but when trouble comes, they unite and help one another. With the family’s special superpower combined, they conquered their most dangerous enemy (the robot). Pixar studios have once again pushed their work to the limit with this film.

Both movies are highly recommended for family entertainment but if you have any five years old or under, you might not get to enjoy The Incredibles much. I had to make three trips during the movie to buy popcorn, buy drink, and take Samantha to the restroom. Still glad that I get to spent time with her, my adorable Sammy. Felt badly that I couldn’t take little Eric along. He was standing at the glass window watching us leave.

Since I have been banging these two albums constantly while designing, I want to share with those who have not experienced them. Like Quentin Tarantino, music plays an important part of my work, especially when I need visual inspirations. These two soundtracks are responsible for fueling much creativity into my design.

When I need to produce something hip, edgy, and playful, Kill Bill Vol.1 is a perfect choice because the album fills with adrenaline rushes. Whether you jam it from start to finish or in any random order, the wonderful mix of tunes will guarantee to color your mind with bright and beautiful images. With a diverse range from Nancy Sinatra’s “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” to Tomoyasu Hotei’s “Battle Without Honor or Humanity” to Luis Bacalov’s “The Grand Duel – (Parte Prima)” to Rza’s “Ode to Oren Ishii” to Meiko Kaji’s “The Flower of Carnage,” make sure you fastened up your seatbelt for a psychological ride.

Unlike Vol.1, Kill Bill Vol.2 is much more subtle which is great when I need to create something calm and elegant. Shivaree’s “Goodnight Moon” kicks off the album with a beautiful lightweight melody. Ennio Morricone contributed some mesmerizing musical scores such as “L’Arena,” “A Silhouette of Doom,” and “Il Tramonto.” Johnny Cash’s vocals are so convincing on the lyrical inspiration of Rhodes and Hayes’s “A Satisfied Mind.” A verse like this, “Money can’t buy back your youth when you’re old / Or a friend when you’re lonely, or a love that’s grown cold / The wealthiest person is a pauper at times / Compared to the man with a satisfied mind,” reminds me how important it is to live a simple and happy life instead of chasing and dreaming for fortune and fame. The last hidden track by The RZA featuring Ol’ Dirty Bastard is a nice little bonus. Speaking of ODB, his death is a great lost for the Wu Tang Clan as well as the Hip Hop community. His eccentric rhyming skills and his wild persona will always be remembered.

Even if you don’t like Tarantino’s films, the soundtracks are exquisite. He is among a few filmmakers who have great taste in music. I dig his films and love his soundtracks. I usually don’t spend money on soundtracks but Kill Bill and The Matrix are the only exceptions. I have used countless loops from The Matrix in the past for my motion projects, and I recently applied a few scores from Kill Bill Vol.1 to my works including the Vassar’s slideshow. I have nothing to loose and much to gain from these albums.

Just received an autographed copy of Steven Aimone’s Design! A Lively Guide to Design Basics for Artists & Craftpeople. Many thanks to Steve and Katherine Aimone for this invaluable book. Beside writing, they also provide art workshops, classes, and lectures. For more information on their work, check out Aimone Art Services.

Thang Bay Chua Mua is another savory album from the “Vietnamese Frank Sinatra” Tuan Ngoc. Of course, one of the advantages of owning his record label (Bich Thu Van) is the total control of the production. He crafts his album to live up to his selected audience’s expectations. Each song has been carefully chosen to suit his captivating performances. Along with Duy Cuong’s gorgeous musical arrangement, Tuan Ngoc and his special guests (Quynh Giao, Thai Hien, and Le Thu) sway the listeners into an intimate atmosphere.

Unlike popular albums, where they get stale after several run through, Thang Bay Chua Mua increases the aesthetic experience each time I listen to it, especially the remarkable “Goi Nguoi Em Gai” by Doan Chuan and Tu Linh where his vocals ride marvelously with the melody. His polished technique is most effective on the immaculately smooth “Hung Ho” and the sensual composition of Pham Duy’s “Mong Du.”

From the title track of Pham Anh Dung’s “Thang Bay Chua Mua” to Pham Duy’s “Ky Niem” to Dao Duy’s “Dieu Buon” to Hoang Trong Thuy’s “Nguoi Nhu Co Quen,” Tuan Ngoc never leaves his listeners in doubt with his exceptional executions whether from the way he holds a note or drops a word.

While Quynh Giao, Thai Hien, and Le Thu added some elegant voices to the work, their solo performances seem out of place. Their special appearances would leave a deeper impact if each did a duet with Tuan Ngoc.

Thang Bay Chua Mua is consistently good. It meets my expectation even though I do expect high quality works. A fan of Tuan Ngoc should not allow this album to slip by.

Eminem’s forth album Encore fails me. What happen to the dramatic descriptive rhymes and the powerful wordplays?

Encore is not what I have expected from a lyricist Eminem even though the first quarter of the album from “Evil Deeds” to “Mosh,” he sounds sharpened, refined, and matured. “Never Enough” is a beautiful collaboration with 50 and Nate Dogg. His delivery on “Yellow Brick Road” is both persuasive and apologetic as he recites his side of story about disrespecting Black women on a tape he did back in 89. He proves to have grown-up by handling the beef with Ja Rule and Benzino with a mellowness tone on “Like Toys Soldiers.” Of course, the infamous “Mosh,” where Em takes his political stand against Bush, is both motivating and inspiring despite the outcome of the election.

Unfortunately, as soon as he throws up and flushes the toilet on “Puke,” the rest of the album goes down the same path as well. On “My 1st Single,” the beat is hot and his flow is tight but his singing, burping, and shitting just ruins it. Although “Mockingbird” is lyrically inspiring as he tries to explain to Hailie about her mother’s situation, Em’s premature vocals damage the chorus. He needs to stop singing because his voice is infuriating.

Eminem should have crafted his album better by taking out some of the ridiculous tracks. It’s hard to make every song counts with 20 tracks (including 3 skits). It seems as if his materials have run dry from living in a mansion instead of a trailer for the past few years. His topics have become staled with dissing his ex-wife (“Puke”) and women (“Spend Some Time”).

Ngoc Lan is among a few singers who blew cool breezes into Trinh Cong Son’s music with her fine elegance. On Hat Cho Que Huong Viet Nam, she interlaced remarkable soul and sensitivity in the work. As a result, her performances on Trinh’s materials were as natural as breathing, especially on “Ben Doi Hiu Quanh” where she effortlessly grasped sad air into the melody.

As for “Xin Mat Troi Ngu Yen,” Ngoc Lan’s perfectionist delivery remains unmatchable til this day. The seamless integration between keyboard and sax, along with her vocals, they had created everlasting memories of “Diem Xua.” On “Ru Ta Ngam Ngui,” her vocals gradually increased from deep whisper “khi tinh da voi quen” to rattling high “con chim dung lang cam” within four lines. All I can say is “wow!”

Again on “Tinh Nho,” Ngoc Lan did not have to scream on top of her lung to convey “Tinh ngo da quen di…” yet her flow was still spellbind. “Nang Thuy Tinh” marked another beautiful and highly successful collaboration between singer Ngoc Lan and sax player Thanh Lam. It was a perfect chemistry.

Hat Cho Que Huong Viet Nam is yet another priceless album Ngoc Lan had left for her fans. Released in 1994, ten years later this album is still capturing millions of Vietnamese hearts both at home and abroad. I am sure this timeless album continues to be appreciated many years to come.

Though I am attracted to Ha Tran‘s sweet voice, I never found her style to be innovative until I come across Nhat Thuc (Solar Eclipse). Uniting jazz and pop styles into traditional folk music, Ngoc Dai created some of the most unusual and exotic compositions ever. With Ha Tran’s elegance vocals weaving into Do Bao‘s aesthetic arrangements, Nhat Thuc leaves me breathless.

The album opens with “Nam mo a di da Phat” along with a child’s laughter that reminded me of my childhood period where I spent most of my time in the temple. Those where the happiest times in my life, may I add? The only different is that Ha Tran’s voice is too syrupy compared to those sister monks who loved me dearly. The moment the instruments began to play, “Nghi Ngai (Shadow of Doubt)” takes listeners on a journey to a new horizon. “Det Tam Gai (Weaving Tam Gai)” is one of the cutest folk melodies I’ve heard. I just admire the hook, “Det tam gai den bao gio / det tam gai u den bao gio / em yeu anh cuong dai / yeu anh den tan ca em ra.” I also am inspired by the psychological phenomenon behind “Ao Anh (Illusion)” where Ha Tran’s vocal becomes thicker and warmer.

Although Nhat Thuc released three years ago, the music is still as fresh as ever. If you get a chance, pick up this album for a rare experience. I am sure you’ll find it eccentrically enjoyable. Lastly, proper credit must be given to poet Vi Thuy Linh who works inspired Ngoc Dai to compose this album. Too bad the copyright issue was interfered with this album because of lacking of respect on the credits. Nonetheless, I can’t wait to set my ears on Nhat Thuc 2.

Looking at this young, full of life, and adorable face takes me back to the joyful days I spent with Samantha. The last time I went back to Lancaster for the weekend, she did something that I could never forget.

After I kissed her soft baby cheek goodbye, she grabbed my arm and sadly said, “Where are you going, cau Doanh (uncle Donny)?” I told her softly, “I have to go home, honey.” She immediately replied, “But your home is up there” as she pointed to my old room. I busted out laughter with happy tears. I held her tight and didn’t want to leave.