WVC Trio + 1
Tay Cher Siang
Tay Cher Siang started his piano lessons just like most people, learning classical music. He took up an interest in Jazz during his teenage years and began to pursue his musical journey as a jazz pianist.
He received his Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance from West Virginia University and continued to get his Masters Degree in Jazz Pedagogy, studying under Dr. Miltenberger and Professor Scea.
His achievements include winning the WVU Young Artist Competition in 2004, recipient of the HERF Top-Off Award and the Valerie Canady Award. He was the Graduate Assistant for the Jazz Department in WVU where he got the chance to direct the college’s Jazz Big Band and various Small Group Ensembles.
Throughout the years, Mr. Tay performed regularly as a soloist, as well as with ensembles such as the WVU Big Band, the Mon River Big Band, the Jenny Menna Trio, the Washington Street Jazz Band, and the WVU Wind Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Tay was awarded Young Artist Competition Winner and performed with WVU Symphony Orchestra performing Gershwin Piano Concerto in F. He also gave concerts as classical and jazz pianist, with various groups. Other than performing, Mr. Tay composes, and arranges for big band and small groups.
Mr. Tay is currently teaching at UCSI, University of Malaya, and The Talent Makers in Kuala Lumpur. Since his return to Malaysia, he has been active in the Kuala Lumpur music scene. He has performed with The Boplicity, Gruvavenue, Rizal Soliano Band, Louis Soliano Quartet and also played for vocalists from various musical genres: Khadijah Ibrahim, Junji Delfino, Ida Mariana, and Gina Panizales. He has performed in a variety of music festivals: Malacca Straits Jazz Festival in Riau, June 2007, and Penang Jazz Festival in Penang, November 2007, and Mosaic Music Festival in Singapore, March 2008. His recent accomplishments include “Inner Voices-Let’s Go Mamak” in KLPac as a composer and pianist (August 2008). He has completed a series of concerts and seminars tour with his trio WV Connection in September 2008, and much acclaimed Unit Asia’s Southeast Asia Tour in Oct 2008 and Japan Tour in Feb and Aug 2009 . Tay also coached and arranged for the Young KL Singers: Breakin’ It Down Jazz Concert in Oct 2008. His band WVC TRiO has released two albums in 2009, WVC TRiO and ELEVEN, and toured China and Malaysia in June 2009.
Adil Johan
Adil Johan is an emerging performer who is in constant transition. 6 years of musical study in Toronto, Canada, has provided him with a diverse background in performance and production, ranging styles from jazz to hip-hop to avant-garde improvisation.
As a producer and saxophonist, Adil co-founded the live experimental hip-hop collective, Analog Input for 2 years following his departure from Red Pill Theory; an instrumental mixed-genre dance quartet. In both projects, he has strived to push the sonic boundaries of his instrument by incorporating effects processors and textural sampling with his saxophone.
On the side, he was involved in many club gigs in Toronto, performing in funk-soul bands such as Full Serve and Temporary Membership.
Since returning to Malaysia in April 2007, he has undertaken a full-time position as a lecturer in UCSI University’s Contemporary Music Program. Currently, he is actively playing in numerous jazz venues in KL with his Quartet in the process of writing and planning an album set for release in mid-2010.
As a sessionist, Adil has recorded and performed with Malaysian R&B artist and producer Reshmonu, Malaysian gambus player and jazz veteran, Farid Ali, jazz pianist and vocalist, David Gomes, Indonesian trumpeteer, Rio Sidik, singer-songwriters Rendra Zawawi and Wan Zawawi, as well as local trumpeteer and band leader, Eddie Wen. During mid-2007 to mid 2008, he was the co-producer and Musical Director for Hunny Madu, a live funk-soul-hip-hop songwriter that has performed numerous venues in KL, such as Bangkok Jazz, Alexis Bistro, the Wineroom, and Barblonde.
Curriculum Vitae Malaysia:
Adil Johan Quartet:
2008:
9th August: Bangkok Jazz feat. Melisa Suciati
13thSeptember : Bangkok Jazz with Melisa Suciati
15thOctober : Time Out Magazine KL’s “On The Up” at No Black Tie
2nNovember d: “Countdown to Penang Intl. Jazz Fest Series”, G-Spot Lounge, with Dasha Logan
8thNovember : Bangkok Jazz with Melisa Suciati
22nd November: Bangkok Jazz with Melisa Suciati
3rd December : No Black Tie
10th December: No Black Tie featuring Dasha Logan
28th December: Wedding Function at One World Hotel
2009:
2nd & 3rd January: Bangkok Jazz featuring Wan Gigi
10th January: No Black Tie featuring Dasha Logan
18th February: Hunny Madu EP Launch
28th February: Bangkok Jazz featuring Anita Ibrahim
27th February: Mandarin Oriental Hotel for Malaysian Ratings Agency (MARC) 2009 Top Leading Managers Awards Dinner
5th March: Apartment KLCC for Dockers 2009 Collection Launch
13th March: Laundry Bar, The Curve for Hunny Madu EP Launch Tour
14th March: Renaissance Hotel, Bar Council Malaysia Legal Aid Dinner
3rd April: Bangkok Jazz for Hunny Madu EP Launch Tour
15th & 16th May: Bangkok Jazz, featuring Dasha Logan
29th & 30th May: Alexis Bistro for Hunny Madu EP Launch Tour
5th & 6th June: No Black Tie featuring Dasha Logan
10th June: No Black Tie for Hunny Madu EP Launch Tour
Adil Johan Performance Profile
Rendra Zawawi Band:
11th & 12th September, 2007: No Black Tie, Acoustic performance
3rd July: Groove Junction
29th October: Groove Junction
12th November: Groove Junction
13th November: Laundry Bar
19th November: No Black Tie
30th & 31st January: Bangkok Jazz
Hunny Madu & The Basics:
21st July 2007: Bangkok Jazz
25th July 2007: Barblonde, Heritage Row
27th July, 2007: Alexis Bistro
28th July, 2007: Alexis Bistro
2nd September, 2007: Planet Hollywood; opening performance for Phlowtron'sAlbum Launch.
31st October: DKNY Store Launch, Pavillion Mall, K.L.
16th December 2007: MATRADE Band Showcase, KL.
31st December 2007: The Chedi Boutique Hotel, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
22nd & 23rd February: Groove Junction
22nd March: Sime Darby Centre; Kesheido International Annual Dinner.
29th March: Bojangles; headlining act for “Listen: Malaysian Women in Hip-Hop”
2nd August: Sunrise Jazz Festival, Musical Director for Hunny Madu
As an individual performer and sessionist:
23rd June, 2007: Church Street Bar, Penang, for the Alliance Francais organized French Music Festival, Penang.
24th June, 2007: Penang's Heritage Row, Main Stage, French Music Festival, A guest performer for the ARECA Jazz Ensemble.
30th August, 2007: Bangkok Jazz Thai Bistro, Guest performer for the ARECA Jazz Ensemble.
2nd September, 2007: Sunrise Jazz Festival, Mont. Kiara, Guest performer with Saharajah.
2nd September, 2007: The Gallery, Central Market, Usman Awang Book Launch, Duet performance with Wan Zawawi- singer songwriter on an adaptation of Usman Awang's poem, Kekasih.
29th December, 2007: La Bodega, Pavillion with Julian Chan's Boplicity
24th December, 2007: 68 Kelawei, Penang with Dasha Logan and Aidan Miller
14th February, 2008: La Bodega, Pavillion with the Adil Johan Quartet featuring Aidan Miller.
15th & 16th February: 2008, Bangkok Jazz, as the Excuses: “Avant-garde Jazz Duo”
21st March 2008: University College Sedaya International’s New Contemporary Ensemble
12th April 2008: Recording for Traxx FM’s Jazz Selektah Radio Show at Rentak 50, RTM.
26th April 2008: Saujana Ballroom; with Justin Lim & Friends
22nd May 2008: Club 789, with Rizal Soliano
23rd & 24th May 2008: Bangkok Jazz, with Farid Ali’s “Gambus Plays Straight Ahead”
7th June 2008: Renaissance Ballroom; with Claire Rozells Jazz Ensemble
21st June 2008: Sheraton, Subang.
4th July 2008: Groove Junction, with Aida and Friends
15th August 2008: Bangkok Jazz with David Gomes
24th August 2008: KL Hilton, with Dasha Logan
29th & 30thAugust 2008 Bangkok Jazz with Karen Nunis Blackstone
5thSeptember 2008: Bangkok Jazz with The Soul Demons
11tOctober 2008: KLGCC, Corporate Function Jazz Band
17th & 18thOctober 2008 : Alexis Bistro with Urban Tribes
24thOctober 2008: Sime Darby Convention Center, Corporate Function Jazz Band
1st December 2008: J.W. Marriot, Juan Pablo DeZubiria Quartet
5th December 2008: Penang Island Jazz Festival, Inter-Island Jazz Connection
6th Decmber 2008: Penang Island Jazz Festival, Fringe Stage Performance with Dasha Logan
19th January 2009: Groove Junction with Dr. Wan Zawawi and Band
7th February 2009: Konsert Unplugged Prihatin Palestin, Live Broadcast, RTM2
8th June 2009: No Black Tie with Dr. Wan Zawawi
20th June 2009: Wedding Function at Prince Hotel
28th June 2009: DeLucca, Motown Tribute Band
6th July 2009: Alexis Bistro Bangsar, Jordan Rivers Band
14th & 15th August: Alexis Bistro, guest performer with Q SoundVincent Ong
Vincent Ong began playing bass professionally while at the International College of Music. During this time, Ong formed his own group known as Black Machine. Black Machine was later re-named GruvAvenue, and released their debut album in 2005. When not performing with GruvAvenue, Vincent performs with varying ensembles in hotel lounges, clubs, conferences, and at music festivals throughout Malaysia, the Phillippines and Singapore.