My Crib- Where Ideas turns Reality *winks* =) Music to me is something which i have eventually grew to love and also find my passion through. I must say i have been very blessed to be introduced and given the opportunity to learn both the piano and violin. Growing up, i have always been asked this question: " Is it hard to learn?" Well, i must say the answer is there are definitely ups and downs whenever u wanna do or achieve anything. The ups are probably the "Rewards" my mum gives after i got through an exam. The downs are probablty the preparations towards the exams. A total opposite. Nevertheless, i have my mum to thank you to for pushing me through the years. Is not easy for her knowing im sometimes quite naughty too. But Thanks mum!=)
Anyway, is monday evening & Also Deepavali night ( Happy Deepavali to all Indian friends! *Gaya who is an indian friend of mine which i used to go her house nearby for Muruku, wherever u are, I wish you the very best k and Happy Deepavali! )Nothing feels better then just chilling out at home cum studio working on some new ideas/ demos, updating my stuffs and practice for my upcoming show this weekend in Bangkok Jazz! ( Scroll down for information ). We just had rehearsals this morning and i must say its definitely refreshing to feel and experience the "REAL" music again....woohoo! Before Bangkok Jazz, i would be heading for Jewellery Time show@ Paragon, Singapore to perform 3 of my original compositions=)
Alrighty guys. See ya soon! *Hopefully this week k & Do RSVP on Facebook k*
Also, Special thanks to dear Steph who has recently helped me in many ways *winks*
Dear all, this is an All Boys line up we have here Only@ Bangkok Jazz, Chulan Square, Kuala Lumpur next Fri & Sat (31st October & 1st November) 10PM SHARP Free Admission *winks*
Line Up:
Dennis Lau Electric Violinist Jimmy Sax Billy on Vocals Wilson on the Keys Ken Chung on Bass Sudin on Drums Yuri on Guitars & Edwin on Sound=)
I would be introducing new wave of music and some new repertoires which i just composed and of cos joining me on vocals this time is my good friend, Billy! Check out my 2 SPE-CIAL guest artist: Billy & Yuri. So girls, if you are in for the guys over that particular weekend, you are @ the Right place!
P/S: Here's a sneak peak of what's in store:
Dennis Lau@ Estee Lauder Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign Gala Dinner in KL Hilton. One of the best choreographed performance with the lightings & Sound I have ever experienced. Thumbs up to the night's sound engineer Ben and his team for all these!
Also, to the Estee Lauder's management Wee Tee and Kim my "Nanny" for the night making sure im taken care of!*winks* Thanks!
It is my upmost privileged and honored to be able to perform my originals (Prelude in F minor, I Just Wanna & Son Of A Chinese by Ken Chung), not only for our Majesty, The King, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin but also for his royal highness's mother birthday, Sharifa Nong Fatima binti Sayyid Abdullah. Thanks to TK & Siti for believing in me and introducing me to this wonderful soiree event.=) Held 2 weeks ago in a luncheon@ KL Hilton, it was probably one of my most memorable performance so far apart frm the other shows i do. Not only have i got the chance to speak and get to know many others, but also been given words of encouragements to further work on my songs and music. Thank you all! *hugs*
P/S: Special thanks to Chow Photography for some of the pics below! Thanks man! Dennis Lau & Jimmy Sax Dennis Lau & Kak Siti, thank you so much for the hospitality and you know i Luv ya much Kak Siti *winks*=) Sharifa Nong Fatima binti Sayyid Abdullah, Tengku Besar Terengganu's Birthday. Happy Birthday! The Royal Family=) TK(The Man) & Me, Thanks bro for the invitation...couldnt have done it without ya!=) US Sharing my music with Tunku Mizan The Whole Crew=)
You know, I believe this blog has somehow turn into my Music Recording Journey and im always really excited being to share all these with you each time after a recording session.=)
Check Mr. Tay Cher Siang out, my very good friend whom is no doubt a maestro on the piano/ keys. I regard him as probably the best in the region because being a versatility in the Classical & Contemporary genre is indeed a rare breed. Honestly, i have been blessed to be able to work with the best musicians around and these experience has just been priceless! Here's a sneak peak of my last track ( A song i believe which would sound Bigger then Prelude in F minor *winks*) Cheers!
Tay Cher Siang on the Grand@ Arkstudios
P/S: You gotta stay tuned to find out who's the singer, Imagine Vocals & Violin with a Complete orchestra!
- Kindly click to Enlarge - Special Thanks to William Kee & Nicole frm Men's Folio for been given the chance to be featured in Men's Folio Magazine September Issue=)* Go Get one k! * Sincerely blessed to be able to worked on this with you all. Just a kind correction on my age being 25 if you are reading the article. Is minus 2 years off k *winks*
P/S: Below are some pics of my recording in Yuri's The Factory Music on fri..12 hours to the countdown of my listening to it! Woohoo! Recording in the New booth! Yeah! The vocals behind "You Gotta Know" Yuri working on his Guitar Solo...this is some serious s**t man! Finally......a lil sneak peak *winks*
Dear all, i had 3 shows last sat, one for a lunch, another a charity event in the evening and night a wedding. I was then dead sloshed at the end of the day but erm Happy!=) Talking about charity event, I felt indeed an honored to be able to do my part and be invited to perform for this very wonderful event: World Animal Day by the Furry Friends Farm=) To cut a long story short, i was actually invited by Sabrina, the founder and the person managing Furry Friends Farm who is a figure and someone i really respect for being able to dedicate a life to these wonderful animals. I personally love dogs especially the strays. And well, i have saved two dogs on the street before..One which unfortunately i have to put to sleep because of the rising cost of the vet and the handicap of it( she can't walk and was sick terribly) and another dislocated her left hind legs so i took it to the vet and now is being adopted by my good friend, Andrew. Anyway, recently my parents and I saved a pregnant dog who was actually loitering outside our home, which we named Dollar. Due to unforeseen circumstances which we could not take her in as we have Megan( My house dog ), We would have to send Dollar to Furry Friends Farm in which we now pay a monthly fees of RM30 per dog you saved. For Dollar is a lil more as she gave birthday to 4 puppies the other day. Money is definitely not the issue in these situations but is the life of the animals or rather i would say a living creature. Im sure most of ya would hear the phrase: " Dogs are like Humans" Anyway, yea..in the event last sat, i got to meet a whole lot of lovely and wonderful ppl whom we share the same passion- to provide a better place for these animals=), I met emcee KC Yap who did a wonderful introduction of myself (Thanks KC!) & Mr. Salehin who is also an animal lover..=) Finally, before you scroll down for the pics below, i would like to urge of everyone of ya to continue supporting and thank the Independent Pet Rescuers & the Furry Friends Farm for providing these animals a better life and place to live as i vow to do my part too! Bravo! Dollar Me & Dollar, my adopted Pet=) Muackss!! Some of the pets in the event.....=) Pretty Poodle=) Pretty Black Poodle The Puppies up for adoption... Dennis & Dollar #2 Jimmy Sax & Dennis Lau Dennis Lau KC Yap & Dollar=) 3 Legged dog Heading back to the Farm =( Me & Sabrina Yeap, the kindest heart of all hearts..She's the one whos taking care of Dollar and the rest of the dogs in her farm which she's actually handling it all by herself, love ya muchie Sab & you have my upmost respect!=)
For more pics: heres the link- http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=61071&l=e8516&id=532951336
P/S: "You Gotta Know" is almost done in completion and im kinda targeting a few shows lined up to launch and to have it as a testing ground for this song=) Wish me luck!
-"Acoustic Hip Hop" is the Genre, "You Gotta Know" is the title- Recording this morning at 9am is indeed my earliest ever but though having just 4 hours of sleep the night before certainly did NOT stop me frm making this original composition of mine possible. Probably i would say the Last song of the album simultaneously in the process with the other track: Track 9=) As you all have possibly read before in my previous post, im collaborating with Yuri Wong of The Factory Music in producing this entirely new shit. Imagine Acoustic/ Accapella music together with Hip Hop beats & Jazz liness (My fav, woohoo!)...also along with the acoustic instruments itself: Violin & Guitar exchanging parts. Speaking for itself basically! yeah! Anyway, Thanks Yuri for that wonderful collaboration earlier this morning. Lets finish up the song soon and the preview of it shall be planned *winks* It was indeed productive!
Till then..haha Yuri@ The Factory Music- the crib of "You Gotta Know" Morning Recording look...-_-" The Process of it Tracking the Violin/ Strings section Yuri with his new Fender frm Japan=) Here's a sneak peak of our baby in progress!*winks*
Dear all, SELAMAT HARI RAYA to start off with to all Muslim friends and Malaysians as well who are celebrating this very erm..Special occasion. However, Hari Raya this year to me was indeed very productive..One thing good in public holidays is that Musicians get to rest too and this is the only time where i could get all my selected recording musicians friends together to record my track for the album. 2 more Songs to go and the album would be heading for post production...So erm, well..for now, i call this New Track- track No.9 first rather then having it untitled. I shall NOT revealed too much of this song yet but today, i have the honored and privileged to record with One of the world's top and best drummer- Lewis Pragasam. Whom we both worked together back then in the David Tao's concert in 2006. Having Sir Lewis in the recording certainly brought the music to another level...F**K Yeah! His tone, touch, Feel, Groove is just ahh, Perfect!
A lil writeup of Lewis:
Lewis Pragasam is one of the most highly-regarded musicians to emerge from Asia. He is considered virtually an icon in his homeland and has been hailed as a music legend in Asia. He has garnered international critical acclaim as one of Asia’s leading percussionists and an innovator of new trends in world music. Lewis is the founder and moving spirit of the pioneering Asiabeat project, started in 1979, whose recordings and performances are now legendary in the merging of Asian and Western musical styles.
The Asiabeat project has 5 recordings released worldwide since 1982, namely: Asiabeat, Dare To Dream, Spirit Of The People, Drumusique (live) and Monsoon. The project under Lewis’ leadership has toured/performed in festivals all over the world including the Hong Kong Arts Festival, Perth Festival of Music and Nigata Cultural Festival (Japan).
He has toured, performed and/or recorded with many internationally renowned artistes – Paul Jackson, Tony Levin, Billy Cobham, Jeff Berlin, Ernie Watts, Andy Sheppard, Randy Bernsen, David Mann, Anthony Curits, Randy Crawford, John ‘Kaizan’ Neptune, Bob James, Ottmar Liebert, Torninho Horta amongst others. Lewis has performed at major festivals around the world including a Royal Command Performance for HRH The Prince of Wales, Prince Charles (Prince Trust Concert) in Edinburgh.
He has produced and organized numerous percussion festivals all over South East Asia working with various percussion exponents/groups – Steve Thornton, Yaya Diallo, Pete Lockett, Shanxi Drummers, ‘Parry Pan’s’ Steel Drum Orhestra, ‘Tokyo Dagaki’ Taiko ensemble, Guru Karakkudi R. Mani, ‘Guardians of the Flame’ Mardi Gras Indians, ‘Tepak Rampak’ Drum Ensemble of Indonesia, Drum Drum & the Siale Dancers and many other percussion ensembles from South East Asia.
Lewis also travels extensively conducting drum and percussion clinics/workshops. His ‘Trash’ percussion group perform and conduct workshops for children utilizing recyclable material to make interesting percussion instruments. Pragasam received the prestigious ‘Fulbright Scholarship’ from the US government in 1990. He served as ‘Artiste In Residence’ at East Carolina University, NC, as well as lecturing at various academic institutions all over the US.
He has recently published a series of methods for learning drum styles with Mel Bay entitled "Drum Talk".
The Maestro himself=)
I recorded the rhythm section as usual with my two other Top musicians: Ken Chung & Cher Siang to form the Core of the whole music and to give it a real steady backbone. Certainly Lewis has graciously helped me in doing so..Also, at the same time or probably in the near future, we would be working on some upcoming new projects which definitely i look forward to! P/S: A little hint *is a Vocals & Violin duet" Double V! BUT whose the singer? Stay tuned!
Here are some pics for your feasting! Lewis & Joe Engineer Joe & Ken Chung Rehearsing Track 9 Lewis & Dennis rehearsing Ken Chung on Bass Lovebirds.-_-"" With the Serious Shit himself: Lewis Pragasam My new found music enthusiastic friends: Adrian & Jasmine Chuah. Thanks so much for coming and thanks for the breakfast! *winks* Jasmine is absolutely in love with music and i really admired her enthusiasm and passion towards it, same goes to Adrian who in fact endure the entire recording session which well, thats quite something. Anyway, thanks for the support and we shall continue with our "Serious Shits"! Dennis Lau & Joe. Thanks for the session today man! Dennis Lau & Jasmine
An art and photography enthusiast, MUSIC is my life. Willing to explore the outer boundaries of life, in search of inspirations and turning them to aspirations, so as to face whatever challenges, and to keep on learning new things...
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