Singapore music icon Jeremy Monteiro wants to bring jazz to the community

SINGAPORE — A few of Singapore’s top names in jazz will be getting to together this weekend to perform jazz tunes through the ages. While this might sound par for the course, the difference is that this will not be held in some concert hall, but at the Thomson Community Centre.

Called A Brief History Of Jazz, the event is presented by the Jazz Association (Singapore) and helmed by none other than Cultural Medallion recipient and arguably, Singapore’s jazz ambassador, Jeremy Monteiro.

Together with Shawn Letts (saxophone), Joshua Wan (bass), Eddie Layman (drums) and Melissa Tham on vocals, Monteiro said he will give a talk and performance that will take the audience “on a musical time journey from pre-Jazz ragtime through Dixieland, swing, bebop, vocal jazz, Latin and fusion”.

“I will also talk about each of the genres and how jazz has evolved,” said Monteiro.

According to Monteiro, the idea behind this concert-cum-talk sessions is to reach out to different demographics. He previously held one session at the bar, Monti, but Monteiro said he is keen to do this in various venues.

“Another one could be at a fancy place and be a jazz/wine appreciation talk. This one is basically ... for people in the neighbourhoods to enjoy and learn about jazz; and how fun it can be,” he said.

That, he said, is why tickets for this session are priced at only S$10.

Incidentally, the Thomson Community Club is the home of one of Singapore’s longest-lasting jazz institutions: The Thomson Jazz Club.

It was formed back in 1993 by Eddie Chan as an activity of the Thomson Community Club, and counts professional and amateur musicians in its line-up.

Since it began, the jazz club has seen more than 300 musicians — Singaporeans and foreigners alike — pass through its ranks. The club members now perform as the Thomson Big Band and the Thomson Swing Band.

Although Monteiro has a busy schedule — he recently released a Beatles tribute album and already has inked down his Christmas concert for this year, along with travelling and performing regularly both in Singapore and abroad — he is keen for this jazz concert-cum-conversation session to take off as part of his passion to spread the word of jazz.

Recently, Monteiro has been broadcasting his gig sessions at Monti live on social media.

“I did more than 100 of these (concert-and talk sessions) in the 1980s and 1990s to schools and colleges, reaching out to around 80,000 kids. Some have become jazz fans,” he said.

“(I will do) anything I can do to spread the awareness of jazz and build an audience, as I have done before,” he added.

A Brief History Of Jazz happens on Aug 26, 2.30pm at the Thomson Community Club. Tickets available from abriefhistoryofjazz.peatix.com.