Sunday, July 22, 2018

National Day Parade 2018: JULAI TAN Violinist Performs Part 1

Mr Julai Tan during his years as a recording artiste on 60's and 70's vinyl.

It's time. 

He's finally 'officially recognised' and will be put on the NDP (National Day Parade) to perform this year. That's an encore for those people who are in charge of the annual national get together on August 9. This music maker deserves it.

Mr Julai Tan who is 93 years young will be in action and the most senior musician to be on stage. He will be playing a Bach piece, Air On The G-String, accompanied on the organ by piano man Jerry Monteiro. 

He has performed with the BBC Orchestra during his youthful days for three years from 1964 to 1967. Prior to his engagement in England, he was with our own Singapore radio orchestra in the 1950's. He returned here in the late 70's.

Eight years ago in 2010, I wrote two articles about him and mentioned, "He must definitely be put on the list of prominent Singapore 60s musicians as his career spans more than 4 decades."


Mr Julai Tan (left with violin), where he appeared in a Malay movie in the 1950's. From filemklasikmalaysia.blogspot.com Thank you.

Please connect below to read:

http://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2010/03/is-this-violinist-julai-tan.html
Mr Tan was given the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 15th Composers and Authors Society of Singapore (Compass) Awards in 2010.

Congratulations Mr Tan and your wife, Madam Ng Siew Lan. We'll all be watching you on TV this National Day Parade 2018.

If you remember Mr Tan, do write in to tell us.
Bach: Air on the G String from his 3rd Orchestral Suite in D major, BWV 1068.
Video by smalin. Thank you. This video has 9.5 million views.

NB: 

Chinese Indonesian names are often misspelt. Similarly with Mr Tan's, who was promoted as JULY TAN on his vinyl.
Julai Tan with Irene Yap, pop singer @ Jazzistics Singapore, an annual get together of jazz musicians @ The Esplanade and other venues.

Images: 
Irene Yap Copyrights Reserved.
A Personal Collection and from filemklasikmalaysia.blogspot.com

25 comments:

JERRY SARAM said...

It's great news. He is one of Singapore's great musicians. Playing together with Jerry Monteiro, one of our great jazz musicians. Wow! What a treat!

anonymous said...

Did you know the rehearsals and the actual National Day is very tiring for older folks? The time and so on spent is immense. Singaporeans voiced out that it should now spread out National Day ie: not yearly.

PETER CHAN (FOYERS GROUP) said...

Fantastic guy. He used to play at the Ming Court Lobby Lounge when I was there.

It was a three-piece band when I met him in 1975. Called THE JADE LOUNGE at Ming Court Hotel.

I first heard about him in 1965 from my violin teacher DIRK KALF, who told me Julai played at the ADELPHI HOTEL. Dirk was also a violin professional at the Adelphi. Julai knew Dirk well.

VICTOR KOO (FOYERS GROUP) said...

Andy,
I see that you are still actively blogging. That's good. Keep it up.

IRENE YAP (70'S RECORDING ARTISTE AND SINGER) said...

Yes, way back during RTS (RADIO-TELEVISION SINGAPURA) time when TV was in black and white. Met him again just a few years ago in Jazzsistic where we jammed together.

It is just awesome that at 93 he is still performing and will be performing this coming National Day for the nation.

MICHAEL BANGAR (GUITARIST, BLOG WRITER) said...

Hope Mr Tan can last all the rehearsals. I'm being very frank.

MUN CHOR SENG said...

There are no photographs of him in Singapore because Julai Tan left for UK during the 1960's.

NANI (PIANIST WITH STYLE AND VERSATILITY) said...

One of our very own legend.

RICHARD RAJOO said...

During our middle years, recalling very often, hearing JULAI TAN's violin and music over the airwaves, both on the radio, Rediffusion and TV.

Just in time; yes, put in on the NATIONAL DAY pedestal.

Well done.

LAURENCE LIM (GRANDPA IN YOU'RE THE BOY VIDEO) said...

Wonderful that he is given recognition for his contributions to Singapore music. He was in the same era as MAESTRO GOH SOON TJIO who discovered LEE PAN HON from the slums of Chinatown.

JIMMY CHNG (LEAD 'THE DECIBELS' POP BAND) said...

Yes, I've heard that name mentioned before whilst listening to the radio, as a child. Kudos to the organisers for inviting him to perform at this year's NDP. (Thumb's up).

HENRI GANN (LEAD: THE TREKKERS) CALIFORNIA USA said...

Wow!

Great news and to know that X-Singaporeans are getting recognition at home.

Thank you again for a great blog.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

I would like to thank those who have written in and comment about Mr Julai Tan. At 93 he's truly a champion for us Seniors.

Appreciate all of you for your support, both for Mr Tan and this blog.

Hooray for our local 60's artistes.

AUDIE NG (SILVER STRINGS, LEADER, BASSIST) said...

Julai Tan performed as a duet with Sam Hussein at the Albert Court Hotel Lounge run by Michael Tan my ex-partner of 10th Storey Musical Agency. Julai played pops and commercial music as a duo and dyed his hair red. He looked kinky at his age.

(Sam Hussein was the last guitarist with the Silver Strings that performed at dark Scene Outram Park before the group disbanded. He was known as the HANK MARVIN of Orchard Road in the 60's because he played Shadows music at his brother's Sarabat Stall at the previously popular Orchard Road Carpark open-air Hawker Food Centre opposite Centre Point.)

MICHAEL LEE said...

Hi Andy,

I remember Julai Tan well. He is about 16 years younger than my dad. The last I heard him play was when he played the Wedding Waltz at my niece's wedding in 1983 at the OUB plaza.

Julai Tan is one of the best violinists in Singapore and definitely the only grand senior violinist.

Cheerio

JIMMY APPUDURIA-CHUA said...

The Stray Dogs REPENT strings were performed by Julai Tan.

(Jimmy was with the STRAY DOGS during Singapore 60's golden age of music).

JIMMY APPUDURIA-CHUA said...

The Stray Dogs, "Repent" strings were performed by Julai Tan.

FACEBOOK said...

THANKS FOR LIKING POST

Jennie Law
Ann Rowena Lim
Rose Khoo
Roop Singh
Jimmy Appudurai-chua
Veronica Young
Merlin Lim

HORACE WEE (GUITAR LEGEND, PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN) said...

An unknown fact is that Julai's Spanish wife at that time was the one who coached me for the correct pronunciation for my recording of Guantanamera...

(Watch out for HORACE WEE'S full story soon on this blog.)

DICK YIP (UKELELE, BLOGGER, TEACHER, PERFORMER said...

Andy is a good friend from our blogging days.

He has probably the most comprehensive music blog in SG! I like his style of writing and commentary including his comments here. That is Andy.

We will meet up again with our S K kakis soon.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Hi Dick,
Thanks for the compliment. A great guy and always helpful in his ways; that's DICK YIP. Hopefully to meet up soon. I'm currently still in touch with JAMES KWOK and PETER CHAN, our FOYERS group. Thanks, Angela, using your platform to chat.

PS
Again thanking all others who contributed to mention about JULAI TAN. We might understand now why Julai is so famous.

Elena Tan Ortega said...

Hi, I´m Elena Tan Ortega, I´m Julai Tan´s daugther. I would like to knoww how I could locate my father, to know more about him.
I am a musician and piano teacher and also a Music Therapist.
I would very much like to have more information about my father.
Thank you.
Elena Tan

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

To Ms. Elena Tan Ortega,

You can write to me again by leaving me your email address, country you are writing from and a phone number.
I shall not publish the information.

I shall write to you personally and include my email address for you which will be confidential.

Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Hello Andy

Would you be able to help me get in touch with Mr Julai Tan's widow.Anyway of getting in touch with you first w/o putting my tel no here?

6/3/2021

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Hello Anon.
I am sorry I am not in touch with Mr Tan's widow.
There's really no way I can help unless somebody writes in after reading your letter.
But you can leave me your phone number but I shall not publish it.
Good luck and all the best.