Binh Minh Jazz Club, Hanoi

Above Hot Life Café, at

65 Quan Su Street

in a swanky neighborhood west of Hanoi’s otherwise tree-limited Hoan Kiem Lake, sits a softly lit jazz club on the 3^rd floor, a welcome relief from other horns … of the street. Its owner, Quyen van Minh, is a well preserved goateed 60 year old saxophonist who also teaches at Hanoi’s Conservatory of Music.  I spoke with tenor sax-man Nguyen Bao Long during breaks, about jazz in Vietnam in general. Not much happening, he says. Most (practically all) musicians are firstly trained in the classical tradition, then branch off (on their own) into improvised music, since the Conservatories in both Hanoi and HoChi Ming (Saigon) do not have a jazz curriculum.  “I am studying at the local conservatory, and teach music at the International School here,” says Long, who also explained that the three year exchange program between the conservatory and Sweden’s Malmo music conservatory is ending.  Owner van Minh’s son, also a saxophonist, is studying in Malmo for his Masters degree, after receiving his four year study degree at Berkelee School of Music in Boston, USA.

This father and son duo have recorded together, both live and in the studio. Long is part of Minh’s band and mentors other young student members.  Recently at Hanoi’s Opera House, Minh et al gave a concert in which Long’s jazz arrangement of Argentinian Astor Piazzolla’s “Four Seasons” was performed.  Now that would have been a nice show, compared with the otherwise standard jazz songs played at the club on Friday night.

On the walls are the usual pictures of jazzmen of the ages. But two caught my eye, in bright colors, of Herbie Hancock with saxman elder Minh. As I left the club Friday night, it was Herbie’s “Watermelon Man” that lingered as the last tune, with the funky piano syncopation readying me for the now-quiet, sleepy streets of this part of Hanoi at midnight!

Returning back to the club on Sunday night, I witnessed Minh elder and his alto sax soulfully belting out several melodic soft Vietnamese ballads in a clear crisp tone. Minh broke into a Glenn Miller tune, his hand flapping that I should get up and dance! Uuhh,  did my graying hair suggest I would appreciate the ‘time’ of Miller? (whom I really don’t particularly like as I prefer ‘contemporary’ jazz.) Other musicians took to the stage in, I guess, a regular Club jam session, with Minh giving tribute to a visiting Vietnamese diplomat.  Which meant, between their bottle of whiskey half drunk, and Minh’s preoccupation as a host, I didn’t have a chance to break rank and chat. Oh well, next time…..  Check him out at http://www.minhjazzvietnam.com/