GruvAvenue stalwarts Tay Cher Siang, Vincent Ong and Adam Osmianski have teamed up with Julian Chan to record an experimental album under a new band, WVC Trio +1. trio (Tay, Ong and Osmianski) can be plus any other musician, and any instrument. Eleven is filled with jazzy, classy originals. This is not big band or dancehall jazz. It’s Dave Brubeck plus Keith Jarret and Herbie Hancock.
The guys — Chan on saxophone, Tay on keyboard, Ong on bass and Osmianski on percussion — are each outstanding. They gel on Eleven like steaming-hot roti kaya with black coffee.
Standing In The Rain On Euclid Ave is lovely straight-ahead jazz. Thumping percussion beat against a wistful piano tinkle. The beat is picked up by the piano, which still plays lead, then again by the drums. Ends with tinkling black-and-whites. The Art of The Windup Alarm Clock was inspired by a Chinese adage, “An inch of gold can’t buy an inch of time”. It’s a melodic, uptempo tune which ends, yes, with an alarm clock ringing. Hunger Strike has a long segue with drums and piano while Little Steps is no warmup tune as initially intended by Ong. This and Merry-Go-Around have a modern, New York sound. Caipifutra is cute, even a little house, while Dawn is more smooth jazz in the GruvAvenue style. Eleven is a good album by hot local jazzsters to hold on to.
INTRODUCTION: WVC TRiO + 1
In the fall of 2004 at West Virginia University in the US, the WVC TRiO was originally formed as a class for three music majors: Adam Osmianski, Tay Cher Siang, and Jon Cavendish. The three immediately noticed that they had musical chemistry and began holding extra rehearsals and continuing the class semester after semester, building a very large book of repertoire containing original materials, and the groups’ own unique arrangements of jazz standards and rock tunes. Drawing inspiration from the great trios of the past like Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, and today's modern counterparts such as Brad Mehldau and The Bad Plus, the WVC TRiO has developed a sound of their own. In the summer of 2008 the trio toured Malaysia and Singapore for 7 weeks, and recorded their first studio album. The spring of 2009 sees Adam's return to Malaysia for another tour, while Vincent Ong from GruvAvenue stepped into the bass chair. To complete the +1 formula, we have Malaysian “Man in New York” Julian Chan on Saxophones. WVC TRiO had toured Tian Jin and Guang Zhou in China, and throughout Malaysia this June 2009.
WVC TRiO +1 is presenting a variety of musical styles and premiering many brand new, original compositions penned by Cher Siang, Vincent and Adam. Experience this vibrant and original music from July 16, 2009 at various CD stores in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia:
Rock Corner Bangsar Village, KL
Rock Corner One Utama, PJ
and many more.
BIOGRAPHY OF PERFORMERS
Tay Cher Siang – Pianist, Composer, Producer
Tay Cher Siang began studying jazz as a teenager in Melaka, Malaysia after learning classical piano for a time. Tay later went to United States to study with Dr. James Miltenberger, and Prof. Paul Scea at West Virginia University. Here Cher Siang earned a Bachelors degree in Music Performance, and a Masters of Music in Jazz Pedagogy. While at WVU, Tay was a graduate assistant to Prof. Scea which gave him the opportunity to direct the school big band, small ensembles, as well as teach classes in jazz improvisation. Also at WVU, Cher Siang won the “WVU Young Artist Competition”, and received the “HERF Top-Off Award” and the “Valerie Candy Award".
Throughout his stay in the US Tay performed regularly as a soloist and with many ensembles such as the West Virginia University Big Band, the Mon River Big Band, the Jenny Menna Trio, the Washington Street Jazz Band, and the West Virginia University Wind Symphony Orchestra. He also performs regularly in Malaysia, China and the United States. Not only a performer, Cher Siang composes, arranges music for various ensembles, and gives music master-classes throughout Asia.
Since returning from US in Dec 2006, Cher Siang had performed in numerous festivals and concerts. These included Melaka Strait Jazz Fest 2007 at Riau, Penang Island Jazz Fest 2007, Kota Kinabalu Music Fest 2007 & 2008 (consecutive 2 years), Mosaic Festival 2008 & 2009 in Singapore, Malaysian Youth Orchestra Foundation Closing Ceremony 2007 & 2008 and “The Awakening” Jazz Concert 07. He represented Malaysia to join another four stellar musicians within Asia for the Unit Asia“Southeast Asia Tour” between Oct to Nov 2008, organized by Japan Foundation. Tay currently resides in Kuala Lumpur where he teaches at UCSI, the University of Malaya and running his own studio. He is an active musician on the KL music scene, performing with Boplicity, GruvAvenue, Rizal Soliano Band and his band WVC TRiO, as well as a number of vocalists.
Vincent Ong – Bassist, Composer, Producer
A graduate of the International College of Music, Vincent started playing bass professionally while he was in college. He then formed the jazz band “Black Machine” in year 2000. Black Machine was re-branded as “GruvAvenue” since 2005 and released their eponymous debut album on the same year. Vincent performs regularly within various set up from a trio to a seventeen-piece band; from relaxing hotel lounges, exclusive clubs, grand conferences as well as jazz festivals throughout Malaysia. These festivals included Sunrise Jazz Festivals 2004 to 2006 (3 consecutive years), KL Music Fest 2006 at Istana Budaya, Miri International Jazz Festival 2007, Johor Bahru Performing Arts Festival 2008, Promotional Activities for Genting International Jazz Festival 2008, HSBC Wind Festival 2006, and “Jazz Oasis” charity concert at Manila, Philippines. Vincent had organized and produced three concerts namely “The Awakening” Jazz Concert 2007, “Jazz Only!” 2002 at The Actors’ Studio Bangsar, and “Black Machine's Debut” concert at The Actors’ Studio Box and Theatre beneath Dataran Merdeka in year 2002. Vincent is a Music Production & Engineering graduate from SAE Institute. He was joined by Shazee for the mixing (post production) of GruvAvenue’s second album.
Besides multi-tasking as the founder, producer, band leader and songwriter of GruvAvenue, Vincent has performed with British chart topper jazz artiste Peter Grant for a two-weeks showcase of his “New Vintage” and “Traditional” albums shortly after Peter's sold out performances at Ronnie Scott's. He performs regularly for Malaysian jazz luminary David Gomes (North Sea Jazz Festival 90 & 91) at music festivals. Vincent had performed with many Malaysian artistes including Noryn Aziz, Atilia, Adibah Noor, Sean Ghazi, Izlyn Ramli, Juwita Suwito,Casey Subramaniam and Francisca Peters; jazz exponents such as pianists Hakan Rydin (Swedish), Jeremy Monteiro (Singapore), Don Gomez (Aust), Kom Wongsawat (Thai National Jazz Competition Champion 06), Adam Dennis (British), drummer Louis Soliano (Singapore Recipient of the Compass Artistic Excellence Award, “Best Drummer in Asia” by DownBeat), Boon Ghee (Singapore), Malaysian jazz legend saxophonist Salvador Guerzo and The Soliano Family, yogi extraordinaire and Saxophonist David Muehsam (New York), vocalist Rachel Guerzo, Junji Delfino, Marcela Panilla (Columbia) just to name a few.
Vincent is also the guitarist of an electronica-duo, “Severe Vain Syndrum” (SVS) which pushes the boundaries of modern DJ music by injecting organic improvisations, and for a jazz trio at the Executive Floor Lounge of Hilton Sentral KL for two years. Commonly referred by his peers as a stylistic chameleon, this go-getter with unique musical vision and diverse artistic tastes joined Asia’s leading music icon Lewis Pragasam (of Asia Beat) and top notch producer/pianist Mac Chew on 25 July, and ethnic-blues artiste Karen Nunis Blackstone on 1st & 2nd August to entertain the public at the Sunrise Jazz Festival 2008. GruvAvenue had performed at the Mosaic Music Festival 2009, hosted by Singapore National Theatre, the Esplanade in March. Apart from his busy schedule, Vincent runs a music production studio specialises in live bands, mixing for jazz recordings, and a graphic suite.
Adam Osmianski – Drummer, Composer
Adam Osmianski studied music from a young age in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. After finishing high school, Adam went to West Virginia University to study with Professor Paul Scea and Al Wrublesky. While at WVU Adam performed in the school big band, small jazz ensembles, percussion ensemble, symphony orchestra, various world music ensembles, and continued to perform in his home town of Pittsburgh. After placing 7th in the nation in the “Percussive Arts Society International College Tenor Drum Competition”, Adam spent two summers touring the US with the “Glassmen Drum and Bugle Corps” from Toledo, Ohio. After touring with the Glassmen, Adam was appointed as the Percussion Coordinator and Arranger for WVU's award winning marching band.
Adam earned a Bachelor Degree in Jazz Performance and immediately began work on a Masters in Jazz Pedagogy where he was graduate assistant to Prof. Paul Scea. This gave Adam the opportunity to teach the school's big band, small groups, percussion ensembles, and classes in jazz. While working on his masters, Adam toured China and Malaysia in 2006 with the WVC Trio and the Paul Scea Quintet. Again with Scea's quintet, Adam traveled to Brazil in 2007. After finishing his Masters Degree in 2008, Adam again toured Malaysia and Singapore with the WVC Trio, and performed with Paul Scea's RA Ensemble at the “International Society of Improvised Music Convention” in Denver Colorado. Adam's other performing credits include jazz great Joe Negri, and appearing on the David Letterman show with the “Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps”.
Julian Chan - Saxophonist
Julian Chan has been playing the saxophone professionally since the age of 21 after studying accounting in Perth, Australia. Since returning to Malaysia he has studied with English educator/ saxophonist Greg Lyons, and performed in various musical settings including the 19-piece “Emergency Brake Ensemble”, The “Greg Lyons Nonet", and the funk band “Biophonics”. Julian continues to be an active performer on the KL music scene, performing with David Gomes, the “KL Hardbop Band”,Michael Veerapen, and Farid Ali among others, as well as running his own bop group called “Boplicity”. Not limiting himself to KL, Chan performs at music festivals throughout Southeast Asia and Australia. He is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Jazz Performance at the Aaron School of Music at Queens College in New York City, USA.
When not playing jazz, Julian is doing session work for various pop artists both at home and abroad. This work has taken him throughout much of Asia, most notably with Taiwanese singer/songwriter Jonathan Lee Zhong Sheng's“South East Asian Concert Tour".
congratulations! music is great and cover looks really nice! (Must be perfect for you guys' cellphone wallpaper too!!!) All the best and keep in touch!
