Esplanade Presents Lester Ang & Chok Kerong Live Streamed

Wash your lockdown blues away with Lester Ang and Chok Kerong in a set of uplifting jazz standards from the bebop and post-bop eras. The pair will perform their uplifting, rhythmic interpretations of a hodgepodge of compositions by Sonny Stitt, John Coltrane, Dinah Washington and Charles Mingus.

About Lester Ang

Fascinated with the jazz vernacular from a young age, Lester Ang further shaped his musical voice as a woodwind instrumentalist and soloist in the American music scene, honing his craft in the musical pits of New England and the after-hours sessions of South Side Chicago.

Familiar with both contemporary and classical idioms, he served as a touring musician in the Americas, Europe and Australia. Ang has also collaborated on numerous occasions with a highly eclectic mix of artists, from tenor saxophone legend Ari Brown and brass virtuoso James Morrison to vocal percussionist Darni Ng in modern improvisatory contexts. A consummate jazz musician, he has been featured as both a section leader and a soloist in several big bands including the St. James Powerstation Jazz Orchestra, Singapore Jazz Orchestra, Summertimes Big Band and Chicago X-Tet.

About Chok Kerong

Chok Kerong has established himself as one of Singapore's most versatile musical talents. Traversing the numerous genres under the umbrella of popular music with equal aplomb, he has distinguished himself as a swinging, harmonically inventive pianist and organist, while also emerging as a composer of extraordinary clarity and depth.

Chok's compositions and arrangements have been performed by luminaries like Jeremy Monteiro, Rani Singam, T'ang Quartet, Singapore Wind Symphony and his own chamber ensembles. In 2017, he wrote Disquiet, commissioned by the Singapore Symphony Group for the Victoria Concert Hall Organ Series. In 2018, his compositions for an 11-piece chamber ensemble were featured in Hong Kong. That same year, he wrote Sketches of Miles, commissioned by Jazz Association (Singapore), an episodic work for big band that showcases his fresh approach to orchestration and complex harmony. In 2019, Chok presented PITCH, his second chamber ensemble project, featuring new compositions that meld 20th century chromaticism, soul, swing and Brazilian music.

Stream on Wednesday, July 15th at 8pm
Watch on Offset HERE or Facebook HERE
Available online until July 16th at 8pm