Two-Time Harmonica World Champion Performed at "Ginger Jazz: Cy Leo Jazz Quartet"

As part of a series of activities in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, "Ginger Jazz: Cy Leo Jazz Quartet" was presented at SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco, California, by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in San Francisco on December 14.

Developed by two-time harmonica world champion, composer and singer-songwriter Cy Leo Ho Cheuk-yin, "Ginger Jazz" is a Hong Kong-based jazz project that transforms conventional Cantonese pop (Cantopop) tunes into modern jazz. The project explores how the language of jazz collides with best-known Cantopop songs that carry significant cultural influences over the decades.

Staging his performance debut in San Francisco as harmonicist and band leader, Ho teamed up with a group of stellar musicians from New York City, namely bassist Moto Fukushima, keyboardist Sora Kim and drummer Miguel Jimenez-Cruz, for an energetic ensemble. The cross-genre quartet featured popular melodies from both Hong Kong and the United States to foster cultural exchange. Works by Cantopop stars across generations, such as Danny Chan, Ivana Wong and Keung To, were reinterpreted as instrumental pieces, while timeless American classics from "The Sound of Music" and "Porgy and Bess" were reintroduced with jazz-infused arrangements. The Quartet also performed two original compositions by Ho, which showcased his classical training, jazz sensibility, and sentiments towards his beloved Hong Kong.

The complimentary programme was well-received by a full house of attendees from the Hong Kong and local communities in the San Francisco Bay Area.