International Jazz Days Festival: Huu Bac Quintet and Gingerbeef (Double Bill)
From Montreal the Huu Bac Quintet weaves Vietnamese and Chinese heritage and culture with jazz through instruments as unique as the dan bau, erhu, quena, and as ubiquitous as the jazz guitar
Date/Time: Apr 27 2024, 8:00 pm to 10:30 pm
Calgary, Studio Bell850 4 Street SE
Tickets
Cost: $44.99
Find tickets: here
Dive into a dynamic concert experience featuring the Huu Bac Quintet and Ginger Beef, two acts pushing the boundaries of culture and musical genres. Led by Huu Bac Quach, the quintet seamlessly weaves together Asian and American influences to create a captivating blend of melodies. Kicking off the evening is Calgary’s own Ginger Beef, led by Jiajia Li and Warren Tse, delivering an electrifying fusion of instrumental pop. Secure your tickets for a night celebrating the richness of diversity and creativity in music!
Huu Bac, born in Vietnam to Chinese and Vietnamese parents, grew up immersed in the world of jazz guitar in Montreal before discovering the allure of Far East string instruments during travels to Shanghai and Beijing. Drawing from a wealth of global experiences, The Huu Bac Quintet crafts a genuine dialogue among Asian, North American, and South American cultures, producing a contemporary, original, and distinctive sound. Huu Bac Quintet – huu bac
Ginger Beef is on a mission to bring instrumental pop back into the spotlight. After relocating to Calgary post-master’s degree in classical performance, Li’s presence has become prominent across various local music scenes, with MSG’s versatile work also leaving its mark, including as the organist for the Calgary Flames. Blending impressive virtuosity with infectious melodies and deep grooves that appeal to a wide audience, MSG envisions Ginger Beef as a modern twist on the classic “funky Van Halen,” drawing parallels to the Van Halen brothers’ classical piano training. Their music is described as “exotic, crunchy, and immensely satisfying.”
Ginger Beef brings their high-energy instrumental prowess to life, with Li showcasing her talents on a variety of flutes, both Chinese and Western, while MSG handles synth, keys, and guitar duties. Discover the retro-pop collaboration between Jiajia Li and MSG with Ginger Beef – as seen on CBC Edmonton AM’s Provincial Playlist.
Band members
Huu Bac Quintet
Huu Bac Quach, dan bau (vietnamese monochord), erhu (chinese fiddle), quena (andean flute), jazz guitar
Guillaume Martineau, piano
Geneviève Morasse, violin
Jean-Félix Mailloux, upright bass
Patrick Simard, drums
Ginger Beef
Jaijia Li, flute
Warren Tse aka MSG, synth, keys, guitar
Daniel Nava, bass
Orlando Retana, drums
More info