The Guitar Player's Resource
Guitarist Tung Le fronts Saigon Club, a jazz quartet with something you might not expect. Band member Mark King (aka DJ Rac One) plays turntables, as you might expect in rap or hip hop. The bands three song demo CD-R features an acid jazz number, a Latin and an extended Monk/Messiaen influenced composition which features free improvisation, modern harmony and bebop based improvisation. Saigon Club, therefore, sets itself up it's own unique musical territory with this mix, and Le's guitar work is the glue that holds it all together. Percussionist Brian Citak and bass player Nick Czarnogorski round out the band, and remarkably, all the members of Saigon Club are strong musicians in their own right. The strength of their demo shows the band headed in the right direction as they work towards their first full length CD. Remember the name Tung Le -- it may surprise you where this talented musician chooses to display his worthy guitar abilities. Saigon Club were originally profiled in the June-July, 2001 edition of The Undiscovered.
Saigon Club is the brainchild of guitarist Tung Le, who works simultaneously in various musical worlds including jazz, Latin, urban, rock, 20th century classical and traditional Vietnamese music. Tung has been playing for 16 years, starting in various rock groups, then attending the Mohawk College Applied Music program, with jazz guitar as his principle instrument. He worked as a full time musician from 1990-95, performing, touring and teaching. Tung held a house guitar position at Toronto's prestigious Saigon Club and also worked in two world music bands. He also completed the McMaster University Music program in 1999, with a major in Music Education. Tung still teaches and is working with several jazz groups.
A full length Saigon Club CD is scheduled for release in August, with a series of live showcases in New York City to promote the album.
Tung Le
Canada