Duc Tuan & Ho Ngoc Ha – Ao Anh
They seem uncongenial. Duc Tuan is a soulful ballad crooner while Ho Ngoc Ha is an r&b/pop chick. Yet, their collaborative effort on Ao Anh testifies that opposites can amalgamate. Despite their creative differences, they both have a unique style of covering standards and an appreciation for jazz that allow them to come in the studio together. They know how to make old tunes sound modern, and they have proved themselves in his Doi Mat Nguoi Son Tay and her Va Em Da Yeu.
Unlike Bang Kieu and Minh Tuyet, Duc Tuan’s clear, high tenor works like lotion on skin with Ho Ngoc Ha’s smoky, low contralto. Their duet rendition of “Ao Anh” is a fusion of soul and sex. Even though Ho Ngoc Ha has a limited range, she knows how to work with her limitation and turns it into her advantage. In “Buon,” her raspy voice is so damn erotic weaving in and out of the bossa-nova orchestration. Even on the playful “Dem Do Thi,” she could maneuver her vocals to fit the happy, shining arrangement. And for Duc Tuan, he gives “Sang Ngang” a heartfelt rendition by floating his charming voice over the keyboard licks and delicate brushworks. By swaggering along side with the slick swing in “Ghen,” he proves to be a versatile singer.
What makes Ao Anh works is the simplicity in both productions and performances. The crisp, clean, and simple arrangements play a major role in resuscitating old-school ballads. If you’re looking for hardcore jazz with scatting, improvisation, and complex syncopation, this is not your cup of tea. If you want to enjoy old tunes with a touch of jazz, however, this album will do the trick. Ao Anh is the sauciest, juiciest cover of standards I have heard so far.
Hey, what a coincidence…I was just checkin’ the CD out few days ago. It seems good…. might give it a try, eventhougth never listen to Duc Tuan before. Not to mention the nice lookin’ cover!
Do we have a link to listen to this CD online or even to download it? It will take me long time to come to VN and buy it, thus, please help!
Follow this link. Courtesy of Dieu!
I’m in love with this CD ..
Ho Ngoc Ha rocks my world…
thanks Donny for introducing us this album.
that su ma noi, deeal thay phan nhac dem cua album nay co trong luong hon hai giong hat Duc Tuan & Ho Ngoc Ha, vi ky nang dien tau cua cac musicians deu xuat sac va “dang cap” hon 2 giong hat kia nhieu (neu CD duoc hoan toan thau live).
va phai noi Duc Tri da rat khon kheo vi chinh nho simples arrangements ma no de an khach hon, va cac kieu “hardcore” jazz voi upper-structure / modal / augmented chords se khong the hop voi phong cach hat cua HNH (r&b) & DT (pop ballad) dau.
disagree voi Donny, deeal thay mau sac chat giong HNH & DT co the la dep va hoa quyen vao nhau nhu donny noi, nhung cach hat run ray (vo tinh hay co y?) cua HNH chi lam cho bai nhac … “sen” di, khong co hieu qua gi, va cho thay giong cua co con qua yeu, unstable, kem ky thuat thanh nhac lam. Ngoai ra phan duet voi DT trong bai “Ao Anh”, khi 2 nguoi hat be voi nhau thi be cua ho nghe “pop” qua, khong du jazzy de phu hop voi nen bossa-nova arrangement cua Duc Tri nen bi la.c lo~ng, ma^’t phe^ :-( roi con ha’t pho^ nua ! :-((( Them nua la tempo hoi cham khien cau hat khong co duoc cai flow ca^`n co’ ma nhu bi chat ra tung chu+~, uo^?ng!
thich nghe may bai DT hat mot minh hon.
deeal biet minh kho tinh khi nghe nhac, nhung nhung loi nhan xet nay khong co y che bai HNH, ma chi la noi len mot vai quan diem khac voi Donny trong review cua anh de tham khao thoi nha.
a, muon hoi Diem Thuyen hay ai co original CD xin cho biet credits (musicians) cua album nay duoc hong?
thanks in advance!
me again :-)
“Buon nhu ly DZU. day…. buon nhu ly DZU. ca.n…”
me again :-)
“Buon nhu ly DZU. day…. buon nhu ly DZU. ca.n…” = !!!!!
HNH la con gai Bac ma phat am ho?ng chu “Ruou” rui …. :-(((
trong the^? loa.i nha.c pop, nha.c tre? hay no’i chung la` nha.c mo+’i (kho^ng pha?i da^n ca hay nha.c “we^ hu+o+ng” vie^’t theo a^m hu+o+?ng da^n ca), ngu+o+`i ta pha?i du`ng gio.ng Ba(‘c khi ha’t. Nguoi Bac thi` pha?i pha’t a^m “Ru+o+.u” la “DZIE^.U” nhu “die^.u ky`”, “tuye^.t die^.u” chu+’ kho^ng pha’t a^m nhu+ ngu+o+`i Nam: “RU+.U” or “GU+.U” duoc. Na`ng la.i co`n che^’ bie^’n mo^.t nu+?a gio.ng Bac voi giong Nam tha`nh “DZU.” nu+~a thi` qua? la` …. po’ tay! :-)
Co’ ai nghe ca^u na`y tha^’y …. chu+o+’ng tai gio^’ng deeal ho^ng ?
How can you compare Bang Kieu and Minh Tuyet with Duc Tuan and Ho Ngoc Ha. MT voice is high while HNH is low.
HNH sound good when she not trying to do the “thang” that deal said “shack her voice” to make it more “jazzy” (according to her!!) And whats up with the “DZU.” for “ruou”, you’re rite about that deal, con gai Bac doesnot pronounce it that way (I’m Nam Ky, though! :) )
DT rock it! very sweet and warm beautiful male voice. Thanks for da link, Donny & Dieu.
Totally agree w/deeal & tri#8
especially “DZU.”!Po’tay thiet!
Duc Tuan is a straight man’s guilty pleasure… vocally that is.
oops did i just admit that?
i love the song “ao anh” but i absolutely hate this version…ho ngoc ha is betta off as a model…she just doesnt cut it as a “professional” singer for me…such a shame to see such a great song is ruined by her amatuer/limited/ breathy voice…
i listened to 2 songs on dieu’s link and switched it off…just coiuldnt go through the entire album…without havin a few ly “ziu”…
The whole album will be easily forgotten. This is an average CD. Duc Tuan needs to produce a better album to get back to where he was with DMNSTay.
I agree this album is very average. His Mat Biec is disappointing, too soft,.. makes me longing for my old man Tuan Ngoc. Sang Ngang is not bad. DT, please please choose better songs. You have a beautiful voice so should do a lot better than this. Hope that your next Pham Duy album will bring back the DT that mesmerized me in DMNSTay.
About Ho Ngoc Ha, no comment..she is bettter now but still very limited range vocally
Even though HNH pronounced the word “ruou” not the correct “northern” way, I find it to be exotic. I’ve heard so many singers tripped on that word every time they come to it. They have to pause it in order to sing it the “right” way. HNH just zips through it to give it a more natural flow without pausing. Like I said both HNH and Duc Tuan aren’t jazz singers, and they are not trying to be. That’s the good thing. And this is not a jazz album, but a pop album with a jazz feel. Sort of like Norah Jones stuff, which people either hate or love. That’s kool with me.
As for the productions, if they are coming from Duc Tri (yeah, I don’t have the credits of the muscian either). He sure has stepped up his game. What he did for Nguyen Khang back in the days were nothing compare to this. He sure has the good ears for simple, jazz styles that fit the singers. No wonder, female singers fall for him left and right.
I think Do Bao’s arrangements are better than Duc Tri’s. But Duc Tri is good and professional (since he was trained in America for a few years). Creativity wise, Do Bao is better! :)
I didn’t like Do Bao’s Canh Cung … for some reason … i got bored…
But Ao Anh.. i got hooked BADDD.. hehe i’ve been listen to it nonstop for like 4 days..
can’t get enough.. lol
the pronouciations, most singers singing usually use the Northern pronouciation, there for, Ruou would be Giuou … unless of course, you sing Dan Ca then you need to use the Southern accents..
i never really have problem with singers pronouciations.. exept for Lam Truong.. man, he need to pronoun clearer..
Another “bon^? cu? soan. lai.” Nothing special, not even say it is so bad compare to other versions.
donny, i think i do understand you in your point of view, le~ di~ nhie^n, ddie^`u na`y phu. thuo^.c va`o ca’i Taste cu?a mo^~i ngu+o+`i tho^i. Nhu+ng ma` ne^’u co’ ddem tru+ng ca^`u da^n y’, xem ngu+o+`i nghe thi’ch chu+~ ddo’ ddu+o+.c pha’t a^m the^’ na`o ho+n, chu? quan deeal nghi~, “Dzie^.u” cho chu+~ Ru+o+.u se~ ddu+o+.c ye^u thi’ch ho+n (except nha.c da^n ca mie^`n Nam) la` “Dzu.” nhu+ HNH ha’t. Vi` xu+a gio+` ta thu+o+`ng chi? co’ hai kie^?u pha’t a^m nhu+ deeal dda~ no’i qua: “Dzie^.u” kie^?u Ba(‘c ky`, or “Ru+.u” kie^?u Nam ky` (co`n nhu+~ng kie^?u pha’t a^m theo tie^’ng ddi.a phu+o+ng la` tru+o+`ng ho+.p ngoa.i le^.) Co’ the^? chu’ng ta dda~ ddu+o+.c nghe qua ai ddo’ pha’t a^m la` “Dzu+.u” , nhu+ng thu+o+`ng la` vi` ngu+o+`i na`y bi. lai tie^’ng no’i. Pha’t a^m nhu+ va^.y kho^ng ai ba?o sai vi` ngu+o+`i ta va^~n hie^?u ddu+o+.c, nhu+ng ddo’ la` su+. pha’t a^m kho^ng chua^?n, kho^ng ddu’ng tie^’ng Ha` no^.i go^’c hay Sa`i go`n go^’c. DDa^y mo+’i chi? la` trong ca’ch no’i chuye^.n, chu+’ trong ca’ch ha’t thi` co`n ddo`i ho?i su+. pha’t a^m chua^?n, chi’nh xa’c ho+n nhie^`u la(‘m.
hoa`n toa`n OK ne^’u Donny kho^ng tha^’y co’ gi` di. u+’ng vo+’i ca’ch pha’t a^m na`y cu?a HNH, tuy nhie^n dde^? ba?o ve^. ra(`ng nhu+ va^.y la` Hay thi` em disagree vi` nhu+~ng ly’ do dda~ ne^u o+? tre^n.
Donny nha(‘c to+’i lo^’i die^~n dda.t cu?a HNH, co^ a^’y dda~ ha’t lu+o+’t nhanh qua chu+~ “Dzu.” chu+’ kho^ng du+`ng la.i la^u nhu+ ca’c ca si~ kha’c, la` ddie^?m Donny thi’ch vi` no’ kho^ng bi. pho’ng dda.i, ma`u me` qua’ trong ca’ch the^? hie^.n. DDie^`u na`y hoa`n toa`n ddu’ng ne^’u so sa’nh vo+’i chu+~ “Dzie^.u” trong ca’ch ha’t cu?a Y’ Lan, Kha’nh Ha`… co’ lo^’i ke’o da`i, nha^’n ma.nh va` the^m chu’t re^n ri?, nu+’c no+? cu?a 2 co^ nu+~a, dde^? cho ca’i Buo^`nnnn no’ thie^.t la` …. cha’n luo^n :-) Nhu+ng ne^’u gia? su+? la` mo^.t chu+~ “Dzie^.u” tha^.t bi`nh thu+o+`ng, kho^ng ga(`n, kho^ng nha^’n, kho^ng re^n ri?, kho^ng ca^`n du+`ng la.i la^u, nhu+ng va^~n ddu? xu’c ca?m, thi` va^~n dde.p va` hay ho+n “Dzu.” nhie^`u chu+’, co’ pha?i kho^ng?
just my 2 cents.
HNH is hot. Not a a great vocalist but she ’s sexy and carry the songs well in her own way plus she looks great and love all her song choices.
Duc Tuan what a face! Classy voice !
hom nay moi nghe ky “Sang Ngang” , tha^’y ngu+o+`i cho+i bass trong ba`i na`y pha?i bi. tru+` ddie^?m vi` cu+’ cho+i mo^.t kie^?u hoa`i, la.i co`n phang ma^’y ca’i substitutions va`o ba`i mo^.t ca’ch cu+’ng nha(‘c va` ho^ng ddu+o+.c tho^ng minh ma^’y…. uo^?ng wa’ uo^?ng wa’ !
no’i lo^.n …. “Ma(‘t Bie^’c” chu+’.
in regard to pronounciation…in my opinion Y LAN is the onli vietnamese singer whose got it all down to perfection…her voice is such pleasure to the ears (singing/speaking)…
but many ppl thinks she over “pronounce” alot of times…but its actualli just her natural ways…
Deeal, from what I am hearing, the whole album is acoustically, electronically produced by Duc Tri. So I don’t think the bass line you’re hearing is the “real” bass.
Yeah, I agree with Nguyen Thien Nhien. Do Bao has some colorful sounds in his arrangements, especially his work in Nhat Thuc 1 & 2. But damn, Duc Tri makes Asia producers look bad with arrangment like “Ghen,” which Asia couldn’t make it swing for Tuan Ngoc like he does for Duc Tuan.
Truc Ho, Vu Tuan Duc, Sy Dan need to do something different! Listening to an arrangement for 5 seconds, we know if it is an Asia production or not an Asia production! Sao ky vay, Donny? :)
Duc Tri brings out everything he got from Berklee to do the best for his woman…Unfortunately, it made HNH sounds bad.
His arrangements are too beautiful for her voice
Deeal, can you just write normal without those accents? I cann’t read it plus my head hurts. I wanted to know what you wrote but I cann’t read it. I was searching for HNH’s song and her picture came up on my computer screen. She was totally NUDE.. and no the pics were retouched. She’s a wild woman. My friend said HNH dressed very sexy on stage. One time her bra was too tight, one of her breast popped out.. :) I am not kidding. She sent me a pic of it as a proof.
I meant the NUDE pics WERE NOT retouched.
despite of all the imperfection of this CD, overall, it’s good. I really really love the “Sang Ngang” DT sings sooo well…! :)
sorry all for the reposting, i have to convert my posts for sis Thu Hoai to read. Thx for your understanding!
:::message #7:::
me again :-)
“Buon nhu ly DZỤ day…. buon nhu ly DZỤ cạn…” = !!!!!
HNH la con gai Bac ma phat am hỏng chu “Ruou” rui …. :-(((
trong thể loại nhạc pop, nhạc trẻ hay no’i chung là nhạc mơ’i (không phải dân ca hay nhạc “wê hương” viê’t theo âm hưởng dân ca), người ta phải dùng giọng Bă’c khi ha’t. Nguoi Bac thì phải pha’t âm “Rượu” la “DZIỆU” nhu “diệu kỳ”, “tuyệt diệu” chư’ không pha’t âm như người Nam: “RỰU” or “GỰU” duoc. Nàng lại còn chê’ biê’n một nửa giọng Bac voi giong Nam thành “DZỤ” nữa thì quả là …. po’ tay! :-)
Co’ ai nghe câu này thâ’y …. chươ’ng tai giô’ng deeal hông ?
Comment by deeal — 29 August 2006 @ 8:43 pm
:::message #19:::
donny, i think i do understand your point of view, lẽ dĩ nhiên, điều này phụ thuộc vào ca’i Taste của mỗi người thôi. Nhưng mà nê’u co’ đem trưng cầu dân y’, xem người nghe thi’ch chữ đo’ được pha’t âm thê’ nào hơn, chủ quan deeal nghĩ, “Dziệu” cho chữ Rượu sẽ được yêu thi’ch hơn (except nhạc dân ca miền Nam) là “Dzụ” như HNH ha’t. Vì xưa giờ ta thường chỉ co’ hai kiểu pha’t âm như deeal đã no’i qua: “Dziệu” kiểu Bă’c kỳ, or “Rựu” kiểu Nam kỳ (còn những kiểu pha’t âm theo tiê’ng địa phương là trường hợp ngoại lệ) Co’ thể chu’ng ta đã được nghe qua ai đo’ pha’t âm là “Dzựu” , nhưng thường là vì người này bị lai tiê’ng no’i. Pha’t âm như vậy không ai bảo sai vì người ta vẫn hiểu được, nhưng đo’ là sự pha’t âm không chuẩn, không đu’ng tiê’ng Hà nội gô’c hay Sài gòn gô’c. Đây mơ’i chỉ là trong ca’ch no’i chuyện, chư’ trong ca’ch ha’t thì còn đòi hỏi sự pha’t âm chuẩn, chi’nh xa’c hơn nhiều lă’m.
hoàn toàn OK nê’u Donny không thâ’y co’ gì dị ư’ng vơ’i ca’ch pha’t âm này của HNH, tuy nhiên để bảo vệ rằng như vậy là Hay thì em disagree vì những ly’ do đã nêu ở trên.
Donny nhă’c tơ’i lô’i diễn đạt của HNH, cô â’y đã ha’t lươ’t nhanh qua chữ “Dzụ” chư’ không dừng lại lâu như ca’c ca sĩ kha’c, là điểm Donny thi’ch vì no’ không bị pho’ng đại, màu mè qua’ trong ca’ch thể hiện. Điều này hoàn toàn đu’ng nê’u so sa’nh vơ’i chữ “Dziệu” trong ca’ch ha’t của Y’ Lan, Kha’nh Hà… co’ lô’i ke’o dài, nhâ’n mạnh và thêm chu’t rên rỉ, nư’c nở của 2 cô nữa, để cho ca’i Buồnnnn no’ thiệt là …. cha’n luôn :-) Nhưng nê’u giả sử là một chữ “Dziệu” thật bình thường, không gằn, không nhâ’n, không rên rỉ, không cần dừng lại lâu, nhưng vẫn đủ xu’c cảm, thì vẫn đẹp và hay hơn “Dzụ” nhiều chư’, co’ phải không?
just my 2 cents.
Comment by deeal — 31 August 2006 @ 6:56 am
Deeal hoi bi ra?nh! But I like you! :=)
Donny,
deeal được nghe giơ’i thiệu về album rằng họ hoàn toàn thâu live vơ’i ca’c musicians trong phòng thâu, không phải vậy sao ạ ?
còn nê’u là Đư’c Tri’ tự đàn bassline đo’ thì… uhm… sao he lại chơi một bassline… dở đến vậy được ta ? nghe không cân xư’ng vơ’i khả năng của him qua những gì he đã soạn cho brass section, string ensembles or piano… không giô’ng một người từng học qua berklee ha’..
chỉ là vài thă’c mă’c chủ quan của deeal thôi …. donny nghĩ sao huh?
Pham Thien Nhien,
ra?nh thi moi co “chance” de khien you… like me chu :-) :P
Dear Donnie,
Thanks for introducing the CD. through the link of Dieu. I thought HNH and DT are young Vienamese American who grew up here in the US, however, I saw another CD (EM)of HNH with all of the singers from VN. So are HNH and DT from Vietnam or Vietnamese American and is CD US made or Vietnamese made? Thanks.
ted
everything “made in vietnam”
hope that answers your question
Thanks Joseph. I am so impressed. When I listen to Le Thu or Thai Thanh, it reminds me of Hanoi. WHen I listen to HNH and DT, it reminds me of the Jazz club in Chicago or the French quarter in New Orleans. Is that time of music popular in Vietnam?
Ho Ngoc Ha will be even more in her elements if you guys see her perform live. As Donny had said, she has a limited vocal range but knows how to work around it (just like Tran Thu Ha). Well, she also knows how to work around the stage ((-:
The only thing that’s on my wish list for Duc Tuan is for such a voice and young age, he shouldn’t be content with singing those old tiring songs over and over and over again. Why not be a little more experimental with something different ?
http://youtube.com/watch?v=gX0KQnjJ5Zc
I like Ho Ngoc Ha ’s live singing. To my surprise alot
of people like this song too.
I sang this song in a couple of shows and people just .
go wild especially at the high notes part I hold it really long like the way Alicia Keys does it “in “fallin”
Thanks HNH for making me remember this song.
Ngoc Ha sings pretty good. I looks hot tool. I love the arrangement. The instrument are mostly acoustic. I am a drummer i can tell the drum is acoustic.
Where can I buy this CD? Do music store here (in San Jose ) carry it?
I was holidaying in Saigon in August when Duc Tuan & Ho Ngoc Ha did a show at Nha Hang Khong Ten to launch the album Ao Anh. I was there, I could say that DT was Ao Anh, whereas HNH was … A(n A?nh
:-)
NK
Hi ZDonkey
>>> RE: Ngoc Ha sings pretty good. I looks hot too
Agree with u that Ngoc Ha sings pretty good, but does not look hot. Just cute and …. not tall :-)
Ho Ngoc Ha’s vocal skill is not as good as Ngoc Ha. But, yes, she is stunning. Over 1.70mm tall. Used to be one of the top model in VN, before embaking on singing career.
Cheers,
NK
Hi 360.yahoo.com/locambridge
>>> RE: The only thing that’s on my wish list for Duc Tuan is for such a voice and young age, he shouldn’t be content with singing those old tiring songs over and over and over again. Why not be a little more experimental with something different ?
Yes he did. But didn’t work out.
After graduation, DT started out with a pop album “Anh Yeu Em” in 2004 targeting the teen market. But wasn’t successful with that, because there is too much of that stuff everywhere in VN.
He then changed appearance and music style. In his next 2 albums “Doi Mat Nguoi Son Tay” (Pham Dinh Chuong music) and “Ngam Ngui” (Trinh Cong Son & Pham Duy music), he found the recipee that worked for him.
He then popped out another pop stuff “Yeu Trong Anh Sang” (Quoc Bao music), which was basically a flop.
So as you can see, he has tried to do different things, but looks like he is destined to stick to the clean image (he was voted as best dressed male singer in VN last year!) and singing “classical” stuff. Can’t expect him to be something like … eg. Dam Vinh Hung or Tung Duong :-)
Hi Ted,
>>> RE: When I listen to Le Thu or Thai Thanh, it reminds me of Hanoi. WHen I listen to HNH and DT, it reminds me of the Jazz club in Chicago or the French quarter in New Orleans. Is that time of music popular in Vietnam?
You comment is very interesting. I think similar 2!
I have been living overseas for most part of my life, and have only discovered the music scene from VN only few years back. My observation is that, without stirring any form of controversy, the music scene in VN is well “advanced” and more adaptive to the outside world – much more so than the VN music industry overseas, which tends to “stick around” the old values of the 70’s. And when they try to “go west”, they tend to pick up the tacky bits! :-((( I’m not saying this is good or bad – just stating a difference that I observe.
My Linh once made a bold statement (which got her in deep water!) which went something like this: “Nhie^`u anh chi. nghe^. si ~ o+? ha?i ngoa.i, ddu+o+.c co+ ho^.i ga^` n gu~i ho+n vo+’i nhu+~ng tinh hoa cu?a xu+’ ngu+o+`i, nhu+ng kho^ng chịu co^’ ga(‘ng ha^’p thu. nhu+~ng cái tinh hoa a^’y”
Guess what? I agree with My Linh!!
NK
2 chatty 2day during lunch time!!
Surely get Donny worried that I’m plotting to take over him as some kind of Pho^’ Rùm Moderator :-D
Back to work!!!
Ciao!!!
NK
ha^m m0^. ca si~ Du*c’ Tua^n’ la(m’ :D:D:D:D
Hey folks, “Ao Anh” is available on Apple iTunes Music Store and CDBaby.com if you guys want to buy the original CD out of VN.