Adrian Tan: Music Director Wind Symphony SG & Braddell Heights Orchestra Had Passed Away.

ADRIAN TAN - RIP

MUSIC DIRECTOR 

SINGAPORE WIND SYMPHONY

BRADDELL HEIGHTS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

 UP TO 1,700 VIEWS 

30+ CONDOLENCES

One of the friendliest music persons I've met had passed away on Monday July 12th, 2021. Adrian Tan [Music Director] was only 44 years young and had died of cardiac arrest in his sleep, according to a newspaper report.

As invited guests we met him during a concert as part of Singapore's Golden Jubilee in 2015, where the SG Wind Symphony paid tribute to Singapore pop music. Adrian was the conductor.

He met us as we chatted after the show. With his gentle ways, Adrian introduced us around. We kept in touch and I have found him to be a polite, dedicated and sincere friend. 

Condolences to Adrian's mother (whom he lived with), his family, colleagues and friends.

Rest In Peace Adrian. We will miss you.

A Note From Adrian

"Dear Andy,

Thank you for making time to come to last Sunday's concert, I've been a fan of your blog for the longest time, and follow it regularly. It has been the source of much information and knowledge about local music for me and provided me with a lot of insight.

This is one of the few blogs I read regularly as it is a treasure trove of memories and information on the golden age of local music.

What an honour it is for the SWS to be recognised by some of Singapore's music legends.

Adrian."

21.7.15 

[Comments, tributes, dedications are welcome on What'sApp, Facebook and on this blog.]

Connections:

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2015/07/1-1950s-hari-raya-songs-kampong.html

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2015/07/youre-boy-n-shanty-played-by-wind.html

ADRIAN TAN

A tribute from blog writer Chow Wen Hing:

Singapore lost a creative citizen today. Adrian Tan, Music Director [SG Wind Symphony] left us yesterday. Although he comes from the classical side of musical expressions, nonetheless this is a lost felt across the community as Adrian had also reached out to the pop song community.

We express our deepest condolences to his family and friends, and will draw  inspiration from his work and keep the creative and artistic culture alive in Singapore.

You're with the musicians in the sky now Adrian, we will miss you.

From Wen Hing [Singer/Composer].

Thanks you. Appreciate.

Images from Google and A Personal Collection.

Singapore 60s Bands Sing About Their Ladies

Whether it's Mary Lou or Corrina, Judy or Diana, pop music has many song titles with ladies' names since most of the songs have romantic themes. From A in Amanda by Rod Stewart to Z in Zelda by Pete Townshend, female names are targeted and the numbers can go up to many hundreds.  

Similarly with our local band boys and their recordings on vinyls. Checking a personal library there was Henry Suriya who recorded DONNA, The Christones had AURA LEE, our teacher star across the causeway, Frankie Chia sang about his CHERYL MOANA MARIE and the Dukes with their popular original instrumental, SELINA.  

The selection made for this posting is hardly sufficient to prove any statistical endeavour but here are five detailed samplings of local pops classics with ladies' names on their titles.

The Checkmates:
Recorded at Kinetex Studios in Singapore, lead guitar Benny Chan, with Hann Hussein (rhythmist), Laurence Lee (bassist) and Amir Samsudin (drums), produced four original instrumentals on their EP with one piece bearing a lady's name. Called SYLVIA, it was composed by Lee and Chan. Anyone heard of Sylvia? Beautiful song. And lady too?

I have listened to Checkmates many times when we were in shows together in the past.  Like other bands they used to play Shadows and other 60's instrumental hits on stage. Their music was always solid, tight and more importantly on this vinyl, original. 

NB:
Lead Benny Chan was in Singapore recently and had just appeared at the Esplanade this month of November with the group. Just wondering if Sylvia came to watch the show. Or was she just a figment of the imagination. Great instumental though.

d'Starlights:

Coming from the Philippines, d'Starlights boys were so familiar with Singaporean audiences that they were gladly accepted as belonging to the local community. Famous for their appearances in the El Amigo Nightclub at The New World Amusement Park, they were associated with quality control music. 

On this EP called, IT'S SOUL MAN, the five boys sang and played, LOUIE, LOUIE. Written by Richard Berry way back in 1955, it was about a Jamaican sailor returning to his island to see his lady love.  With this group in control the song is one beautiful and hot soul beat dedication to Ms Louie. And for this lady, at least, we know who she was.

NB: d'Starlights were known to have exhibited their karate prowess on stage before their performances. Some of their members had passed away these few years.  One or two from the group had written on this blog to make these announcements.

The Quests:
A group that needs no introduction is The Quests. Because they were so popular in the South East Asian region, EMI Columbia allowed them to record current covers. So in 1969, they produced four songs for another one of their EPs without any original.

The particular vinyl had a note from the group on its back sleeve cover since they were coming home to Singapore that year from their stint in Hong Kong. Together with three other international hits The Quests included PROUD MARY. 

This fast, hot John Fogerty lady had become such a classic that nearly every Singapore band had performed this Creedence Clearwater Revival hit on stage. 
The lyrics explained that Mary was born in the Bayou and worked as a washerwoman. 

CCR made it number one, Tina Turner gyrated with the number, exhibiting her sensual legs, wearing the shortest skirt ever and Elvis Presley wowed every fan with his version. There was a long line of artistes who wooed Proud Mary.

NB:
In case some readers are not aware, two of the Quests had passed on i.e. Reggie Verghese and Jap Chong. Lim Wee Guan and Henry Chua are still as active with their drums and sold guitars. 

Chua had his SHANTY played by our Wind Symphonic recently (please read another posting).  I meet Jimmy Chan for kopi at Tiong Bahru Market. He's a pianist and still at Marina Mandarin. A very nice guy.

The Surfers:
Before the October Cherries, they were called The Surfers and had cut four tracks with EMI. This particular vinyl was so popular the producers could have made thousands of copies. You can get it anywhere today if you look hard enough. 

Titled HOORAY FOR HAZEL,  we have another hit to add to our short list of lady-named songs recorded in Singapore. This vinyl was done at MacDonald House, Orchard Road. Hazel belonged to Tommy Roe and the song gossiped about a woman who could win the hearts of all men but later mistreated them.

Again, their popularity guaranteed (and sales of course), I remember this group had a large fan base both locally and overseas when they became October Cherries. Imagine competing with Roe on the hit parade charts. Hooray for Surfers. 

The Trailers:

The Trailers were another household name in the 1960's. With their stronghold at the Palace Cinema in East Coast Katong, the T-Dance became a phenomenon because of Benny and The Trailers. 

So when the group was up and soaring in our oriental skies, they produced four melodies that were favourites with the locals. Two of them were from the West. Together with PHOENIX THEME, ALI SAN and the U.S. hit DING DONG SONG, The Trailers added their tim-sum mix with another lady's name called LARA'S THEME, a big hit in 1967.


The specially Chinese PHOENIX THEME glued the four songs air-tight.  All melodies were already separate hits singly but as Trailers instrumentals, this record was one of the most sought after during Chinese New Year 1967. Even our Malay and Indian friends knew the song as , Kwoh Sin Nien.

The concoction did the trick and this EP was one of the top best selling vinyls produced.  With Victor Woo on lead guitar, Maurice Jarre's LARA'S THEME went off-beat a-go-go and boy friend Doctor Zhivago went wild. 

Lady Lara was one foreign attraction.  Set in Russia, the movie told of a KGB Lieutenant General searching for Lara Antipova, the daughter of his half brother. She must be SOMEWHERE MY LOVE.

NB:
Victor Woo is still playing lead with his New Trailers today.  PHOENIX THEME was played during a Channel News Asia television documentary in 2014 discussing Singapore's Treasure Hunt.  It was hosted by pretty Anita Kapoor and archaeologist Lim Chen Sian. I was a guest.

So Sylvia, Louie, Mary, Hazel and Lara, where are you all?

Comments please.

The record covers are from a private collection; pinterest.com
You Tube Video: lvlalaysiaboleh.

'You're The Boy' n 'Shanty' Played By Wind Symphony

It has been my dream to have our Singapore popular music from the 1960's officially recognised and played by an orchestra. I had even put the songs up on *a top ten list on this blog in October 2014. It took the people in charge some time but it has happened! 

So here's good friend John to relate about an evening when he and Silver Strings members were invited to the concert where local 60's melodies were played and sung by our boys and girls from 2015. We made music history...

19th July, 2015

Esplanade Concert Hall
Sunday, 5 pm.
Singapore *Wind Symphony
'Made in Singapore'.

"When the concert Made In Singapore was held, my wife and I were intending to take a trip to Melaka.  However after a bit of deliberation, I decided against it. The reason is obvious.  The traffic situation would be nothing short of chaotic on a Hari Raya long holiday weekend.    So we decided to opt out of Melaka.  I was proudly assuring my wife what to do for the holidays,  that we could go to watch a band performance.

That still left Sunday with nothing planned.  Then I received a message from my buddy Andy Young.  The message included Mindy Lin's (Manager, Singapore Wind Symphony) letter and with Andy remarking that we should all attend the event.  It was almost God sent.  The long weekend was nicely taken care off. 

Not everyone was able to attend but Andy, Ricky Chng (current lead guitarist of the Silver Strings), Audie Ng (leader/bassist) and myself, (drummer) all met at 4.30 pm at the entrance to the Esplanade Concert Hall. We chatted with Henry Chua and Lim Wee Guan of The Quests and other familiar faces.  Frankly I did not know what to expect from the show.

I was impressed by the sheer number of musicians appearing for the concert and they were already in their respective positions on stage. And I always thought musicians for such performances were old and bearded.  How come this group was all so young, including the conductor, Mr Adrian Tan.

Quite understandably, being a Silver Strings member, I was waiting for the Symphony's interpretation of You're The Boy, a song originally recorded by Shirley Nair (deceased) and the group.    Recently it won an award for being the most watched advertisement on  You Tube with about 740,000 viewings!   

When the Orchestra eventually played it, I turned to look at Audie.  I could see him smiling from ear to ear.  Audie had just celebrated his birthday and I told him at the reception after the show that he couldn't have received a better present! The piece played by S.W.S. is very clean and has a very pristine feel to it, the way a love song should be felt by a young girl in love, having just found "the one"!  

(Music Director: Adrian Tan; Composers: Shirley Nair, Henry Chua, Yusnor Ef)

After  enjoying  You're The Boy, I was naturally looking forward to Shanty (Henry Chua/Quests).  When the piece was played and completed I really believe it's awesome, a word that is a little misused these days.  I thought it was very cleverly crafted.  The only recognizable part was the initial verse.  The rest somehow reminded me of some John Williams movie themes. Salute Mr Shun Ng and Mr Jinjun Lee.   I am of the view that all the materials that were used for the Greatest Hits of Tea Dance segment should be recorded and distributed.  That is of course not to say that the other materials should not be recorded as well.  

(Participating: Amni, Gentle Bones, Sezairi, Shabir, Shun Ng, Wicked Aura.)

I am impressed beyond words that a man can compose 250 songs.  It is difficult even to compose two songs but 250!!  Salute to Mr Yusnor Ef (Cultural Medallionist).  And what a fitting tribute to the man to have Amni sing his most prominent compositions. Amni's crystal clear voice and wide vocal range can do justice to any good song and she deserves to be on the world stage.   

As a drummer,  I was naturally attracted to Wicked Aura.  However, in fairness, it is not only the performance of Aura, it is the total package,  the arrangement and the way it is integrated into the vibrant sounds of S.W.S that make the performance sound unique and exciting. 

The timing of the entire team and the S.W.S. is musical precision engineering.   All the other artists and musicians are truly a credit to the whole show as well. What an outstanding cast!  Well done!  Gentle Bones, Sezairi and Shabir, a truly magnificent show guys!

(Arrangers: Benjamin Yeo, Eric Watson, Danial Ariffin, Daren Sng, Gregory Gu Wei, Jinjun Lee, Mohd Rasull, Syawal Kassim, Tan Yang Zhang, Terrence Wong.) 

Congratulations to all who were involved in this event led by Mr Adrian Tan, musical director of the symphony and manager Mindy Lin.  A lot of work and planning went into the production. However its success can easily be measured and appraised by the number of happy and contented faces I saw as the audience was reluctantly leaving the concert hall. 

Bands such as The Thunderbirds and vocal group The Crescendos whose works were also featured and others like The Silver Strings and Quests have been around for the last 50 years or so.  After witnessing all the talents who appeared in Made in Singapore I am confident that the Singapore music scene is here to stay!"

Did you attend the concert? Tell us your views.

Apologies to the other talented composers and artistes if their works and names have not been specifically mentioned or included in this write-up. 


My thanks to John Cher (left) who wrote this article faster than greased lightning.

* http://singapore60smusic.blogspot.sg/2014/10/local-pop-songs-for-singapores-50th.html

Footnote:

*A wind symphony provides all voices from a traditional orchestra using only wind and percussion instruments. That is, there are no string sections: violins, violas, and cellos. This is done by adding many more brass and woodwind players and percussionists playing both pitched and rhythm instruments. A wind symphony may employ the occasional harp or string bass and soloists on any instrument.

[Symphony Friends: Rickie Chng, Andy Young (Silver Strings), Yusnor Ef (Composer), Ho Chee Mun (SWS Chairman), Audie Ng, John Cher (Silver Strings), Henry Chua (Quests).]

Images: Souvenir Programme, You Tube, Google, A Personal Collection.

(1) 1950's Hari Raya Songs, Kampong Rendezvous. (2) Singapore Wind Symphony Plays Local Music

AN ARTICLE COMBINING RAYA SONGS

AND THE SINGAPORE WIND SYMPHONY

SELAMAT HARI RAYA 2019 FROM SINGAPORE

TO ALL MUSLIM FRIENDS AND READERS

                               Selamat Hari Raya by Saloma

Songs with a festive theme are always in demand.  According to Guinness World Records the best selling single up till today is Bing Crosby's, White Christmas with a sale of about 50 million copies internationally. 

In certain South East Asian countries, the Chinese New Year song He Xin Nian and the Malay festive song, Selamat Hari Raya are also pop hits but on a much smaller scale.

On Friday the 17th of July, Muslims would mark the end of the fasting month by celebrating Hari Raya Aidil Fitri.  Selamat Hari Raya is a popular song that will be played and sung by those who celebrate the occasion.  But there are many different compositions with the same title.  

Two of the earliest ones recorded were the most popular. The first Selamat Hari Raya song was composed by Zubir Said.  He was the person who also wrote our National Anthem, Majullah Singapura.  The second Selamat Hari Raya song was by a well-known musician and band leader from the 1960's called Ahmad Jaffar. 

I spoke to long-time friend Mr Yusnor Ef, well-known author, Pop Yeh Yeh lyricist and Singapore Cultural Medal Winner, who tells me that there is a long list of Hari Raya song compositions ,including his, recorded and sung by many Malay artistes.

In a book published by PERKAMUS called, *Seven Magnificent Composers, four such songs were listed.  These versions were the two I mentioned and another two composed by P. Ramlee and Kassim Masdor. 

The former was a famous actor, film director and composer. The latter was a well-known Singaporean composer and music professional. There are actually more than fifty songs that have this theme and very many more today.

Patronising the Queen's Cinema on the Paya Lebar side of Geylang to watch movies, I started becoming familiar with these songs and some other Malay and Chinese pops.  Near the cinema were two Malay kampongs. One was called Kampong Wak Tanjong, just across the road from the Paya Lebar Fire Station and Sims Avenue.

The other was Kampong Melaka, near Sandy Lane where City Plaza now stands and where I came to know many Malay friends when I visited them during Hari Raya. Ketupat, satay, lontong, sayur lodeh and rendang. And F&N orange to down the lot. A feast it was for a wide-eyed teen.

I still remember Moya my Bawean friend from Kampong Melaka who taught me my first basic chords on his acoustic guitar. I never went beyond chords C, F, G7 and Am.  It was within this environment that I learnt the lyrics of my favourite Hari Raya song from Saloma. Significant lines I remember include:

Queen's Cinema (Shaw Brothers Property)

Di sana kelihatan
Bermacam kueh, ketupat dan rendang
Minta-ku kueh sepotong 
Saya mahu makan kernah perut kosong...

Queen's Cinema was a magical place where I absorbed English, Chinese, Malay and a few Hindi movies.  It was Singapore in the mid 1950's and as I paid fifty cents to watch a film I was transported through celluloid to other parts of a simple and peaceful world. 

My main occupation then was watching musicals, the ones from Hollywood, and the Chinese and Malay ones from Shaw Brothers. Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse were the mainstay. Grace Chang, Li Li Hwa, P. Ramlee, Saloma and Maria Menado, completed my simple music education.

Selamat Aidil Fitri
Kepada saudara sertak saudari...
Dam dam dum mercun berbunyi 
Merayakan hari yang mulia ini...

Write to us about Malay songs you love and Hari Raya visits you made.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri to all my Muslim friends and readers in Singapore and around the globe. We miss the "mercun berbunyi."

*Seven Magnificent Composers published by editorial team PERKAMUS (2002).
This posting is original and copyrighted.

Images: Google.
You Tube Video.

********************************

SLIP NOTE: 19TH JULY, 2015. MADE IN SINGAPORE.
SINGAPORE WIND SYMPHONY PLAYS LOCAL POPS.

As part of Singapore's golden jubilee, the Singapore Wind Symphony pays tribute to Singapore pop music with our greatest hits performed by some of today's most exciting local artists! Featuring The Gentle Bones, Wicked Aura, Shun Ng, Sezairi Sezali, Amni Musfirah and Shabir. 

Made in Singapore takes you down memory lane while offering you a glimpse into today's vibrant music scene. Highlights include a special arrangement of Wicked Aura's Fight and Shun Ng's tribute to the hit song Shanty by The Quests and the Silver Strings, Shirley Nair's original, You're The Boy.

Co-presented with Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay, Singapore Wind Symphony's Singapore! A Musical Celebration series celebrates our unique music heritage through national songs, musical theatre and jazz, as well as through collaborations with some of our nation's music icons including Dick Lee,  Jeremy Monteiro and Yusnor Ef's Aku Dia dan Lagu.

Beyond the concerts, these arrangements, specially created by local composers and arrangers for the orchestra, are made available to school, community and professional symphonic bands, so that future generations and audiences have the opportunity to perform and learn about Singapore's unique brand of music.

Rickie Chng, Andy Young (Silver Strings) Yusnor Ef (Composer), Ho Chee Mun (Chair Wind Symphony), Audie Ng, John Cher (Silver Strings),  Henry Chua (Quests).

With Wind Symphony Musical Director Adrian Tan.

Images: Esplanade/Singapore Wind Symphony and Personal Collection.
This post has been rejuvenated on 1st June, 2019.

Yusnor Ef Lyricist: 50th Wedding Anniversary

My Hari Raya Puasa Posting

Hullo,

This posting is for all but especially for my Muslim friends. Here is a love story that happened right here on our little island.

Hari baik, bulan baik.  Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri.

Sincerely,
Andy.

Love is not finding someone to live with;
It is finding someone you can't live without*

An invitation to a wedding anniversary dinner took me and my wife to the Sheraton Hotel at Scotts Road for a night of feasting and music.  Cultural Medallion 2011 winner for excellence in an artistic field, Yusnor Ef and his lovely wife Jamila Jan were celebrating their 50th Golden Wedding with more than 200 invited guests that included a Singapore cabinet member Assoc. Prof. Faishal Ibrahim.  And the TV cams were there to record the occasion.

A band was in attendance on the high stage to accompany the various Malay artistes who were present that night. The evening's entertainers provided songs composed by Yusnor himself. 

There were at least a dozen and more songs performed, out of the 250 that he composed these past 50 years. Many personal tributes by family, friends and colleagues of the couple were given.

Even after many years of marriage,
I still bring home fresh-cut flowers,
It's the little things that keep love alive...*

What was just as important were the table gifts that Yusnor and Jamila provided for guests that evening, the usual traditional red boiled egg in a glass container and, a totally unexpected present of three box-files (Musim 1, 2, 3) that included 9 DVD's coprising 108 of his compositions, encased and presented in a black and gold folio. There were gasps around the wedding hall as guests received them. 

These discs are music videos and some of the songs included in the DVD's are: Gelisah, Normilah, Kaseh Sayang Suami Isteri, Aku, Dia Dan Lagu, Bimbang, Pepatah Pujangga, Anak Zaman Ini, Kawan Ku Bintang Capricon, Joget Idilfitri, Bersabarlah Sayang.

Musim 2 highlights: Gadis dan Feshen, Di Mana Persandingan, Cahaya Bulan Di Ayer Tenang, Joget Malam Berinai, Lanang Tunang Tah Jadi, Penyamun Tarbus, Si-Bujang Tua,Warna Gambaran Hati.

The silver discs are like personal You Tube videos, encased only in this special box collection of his.  Unique indeed.

This occasion wasn't the first time Yusnor had invited me. The other events included the launching of his book, Muzik Melayu Sejak 1940 An. The second was a concert in his honour, where artistes performed his songs at the Esplanade Concert Hall.  The third was an audience with him when his own composition and The Silver Strings', You're The Boy were played by the Wind Symphony conducted by Adrian Tan. (You can read them on the blog.)

An old teacher friend, we used to serve time at primary schools in Pulau Tekong Besar. Meeting at Changi Jetty late morning, we took the same little boat to the island daily. 

It was a 40 minute ride as we became friends on the high seas, with Singapore music as a mutual link that bonded our relationship since 1963. During stormy weather, balancing in the small sea-craft could be challenging. I remember as we neared Tekong jetty, others in the boat would shout with relief, "Land ahoy!" 

When I left for overseas studies, Yusnor was transferred to the Curriculum Development Institute Singapore (CDIS), Ministry of Education and mastered the techniques of film making, became a Mass Media consultant and later a producer and director of many Malay TV documentaries. But we kept in touch.

We have been contacting each other ever since.

Age does not protect you from love,
But love, to some extent, protects you from age*

I'm sure you are a family member, friend or colleague of Yusnor. Do write in to pen your thoughts about him.

*Personal quotes from Yusnor Ef.
Images: Google: A Personal Collection (Copyrights Reserved).