Asia 53 – Bon Mua (Mau Sac Cua Tinh Yeu)
Thought that I would never make another post on Vietnamese DVDs, but Asia latest show, Bon Mua, featured some worth-mentioning performances. So let’s get to it.
The show kicks off with a four-season medley. All the youngsters did an excellent job with Trinh Cong Son’s ballads, but when Nguyen Khang and Y Phuong came together, a luscious duet was born. Y Phuong who is now officially my new girl brought down the joint with her powerful lines in “Bon Mua Thay La” and could match up with Nguyen Khang’s thuggish voice. On the Doan Chuan & Tu Linh’s medley, I was hoping for an encore of Nguyen Khang and Y Phuong, not Diem Lien. Nothing against the sweet Diem Lien, but Y Phuong’s voice is stronger and darker, something to die for. Of course, Y Phuong’s technical skill isn’t as solid as Diem Lien. She still has that breath control issue. And we could witness that in her performance of “Chiec La Cuoi Cung” along side with Bao Yen. Both voices are exceptional, yet the technical skills set Bao Yen above Y Phuong. But don’t worry baby, you still have plenty of time to work on that.
The return of Thuy Duong alone is worth penning. It’s about time, Asia. She is gorgeous, and her laid-back style, which is a perfect complement to that calm and elegant look, is irresistible. Her slow-burning rendition of Van Cao’s “Ben Xuan” is an ideal example of interpreting an old work. Her dreary phrasing made it sounded as if she was living in her own world. As listeners, we either have to get with the program or we out. Even when the arrangement got dramatic, she never seemed to be excited and still maintained her serenity. Love that attitude.
More highlights of the show are from Ngoc Ha, Dalena, and Henry Chuc. Ngoc Ha’s version of Pham Dinh Chuong’s “Tieng Song Huong” is along the line of Duc Tuan’s, but hers was not long enough to create an epic piece like his. The bosa nova-inflected “Hoang Vang” isn’t so bad. It doesn’t hurt to jazz up old tune once in awhile. The drawback is that both Dalena and Henry Chuc have no chops for scat singing.
As for negativity, enough of ink has been spilled on sex before, so I am not going to repeat myself. Besides, none of these broads, including Da Nhat Yen, Thuy Huong, Anh Minh and Vina Uyen Mi, could get me hard anymore. Ho Le Thu has topped them all. One thing I do like to point out, however, is that little Trish was freaking me out for a minute.
Donny, appreciate you put the comments back. I just watch Thuy Nga Xuan Ky Niem and must say how boring and predictable it is. No comparison to Asia Bon Mua. The truth is there are not many Tet songs to rejuvinate you year after year. Asia is much smarter to take the theme “Bon Mua”. Their young singers are progressing well, and their backdrops get better every time. The only thing I’m complaining is the dances are not innovative. Every time I see models walking the stage, with or without some vases or pots on their hands, I just laughed and laughed. Can they do anything better or more charming than that…
Donny, I’m not surprised when not seeing Lam Nhat Tien duet with Thuy Duong, since I heard he had some problem making the show.. But if you ever had a chance to listen to LNT album “Noi voi toi mot loi”, please give us your review… There are some good songs from Truc Ho, I’ll waiting to see how you put them in perspective. Thanks in advance.
i agree on everything you said about Dalena, and Henry Chuc. No comment on Cardin eh?
100% agree about comment on Thuy duong’s performance, she is the best of all.
LOVE Thuy Duong, for sure. She is so classy and unique. Need more like and need to see more of her. LOVE Nguyen Khang and Diem Lien duets. Perfect! They should never put Y Phuong to perform right after Bao Yen as Bao Yen is the master who performs with soul and Y Phuong is just another Vietnamese babe who can sing okay. Trish should retire. She cannot sing, dance or write song. Asia is different than Paris By Night by not having that much skin showing and they should keep that. Being a very Americanize Vietnamese here, I cannot stand Vietnamese girls who sing the oldies, love songs in the barely-there outfits…
I disagree with the Thuy Duong thing and trish is better than all of the singer in Asia
Well, trish, in my opinion, use to be a great singer, but lately, shes not doing so well. Like that medley for example, she just ruined all her classics.
That medly was OK
Can you pls email me who is the writer for hoang vang – dalena & henry truc. Can you also email me the lyric for that song. Thanks
terese_vu@hotmail.com
sorry to disappoint you guys but I think Paris By Night is WAY better than Asia. Asia has no sense of art! Their songs are usually boring and the dances are usually ridiculous. I think people who prefer Asia are usually people of the older generations and people who love speaking of hates and grudges out of the Vietnam War. I’m 16 years old and I prefer PBN because it speaks of Vietnamese culture and history more than War. I can see my culture and history shine through beautiful dances, beautiful ao dai’s and beautiful backgrounds of PBN. I’m sick of all the war propagandas by Asia. I’m sick of the scenes of VNCH soldiers jumping around on the stage of Asia. Asia just has no sense of art. The only really spetaculous representation of Vietnamese culture and history I’ve ever seen at Asia is the representation of the song “Con Rong Chau Tien” by Da Nhat Yen and Gia Huy.
I like Bao yen very much, she make the show better
Trish is the BEST. Jen is totally right. Plus she kinda cute!
this is in response to Tran’s comment:
You speak of culture and history but being 16 and presumably born in the US you know nothing of neither. Your preference of watching PBN because their shows are flashier which speaks nothing of substance, the only things of value are some of Nguyen Ngoc Ngan’s anecdotes and bits and pieces of history here and there. Yes I agree PBN’s shows are more polished but the direction they’re moving in bothers me. It seems like they’re trying to cater to mainstream Americans, I know it sounds funny but here’s the proof. They’ve had Shawnda Sawyer as their main choreographer for a long time now and I know they’ve entered PBNs into American award shows because they brought that fact up in one of the previous PBNs. These shows are made by Vietnamese/Vietnamese Americans for the same demographic and I being a Vietnamese American certainly prefer substance more than flash. I understand PBN is trying to explore new horizons and trying to expand into the area of creative art, but at the same time it’s cutting into the substance of the show. Now as far as your criticism of Asia being too much pro Republic of South Vietnam and spewing war propaganda, while it’s true to a certain extent, it’s not all bad. Take the propaganda at face value and try to gleam from the rest of the show the history and experiences that they’re trying to impart on you. Yes all that stuff tends to get boring after a while but think about the people that gave up their lives for you so that you can be 16 and sitting around watching these shows. I usually don’t like to call people out but what you said makes you sound like an ingrate or at the very least just ignorant. If you watched Asia 58: La Thu Tu Chien Truong you’d understand, hearing the letters of the soldiers from the front writing to their family, hearing how their lives were shattered because of the war you’d probably have a more grateful view towards them and what Asia is trying to do. Just with the realization that some of those people whose letters they were reading might not have made it through the war, might have died all those years ago fighting for your freedom should show you why to this day we still hold them in such high regards. With that being said, I watch both PBN and Asia and enjoy both. This wasn’t meant to be a history lesson or a lecture, just thought you should try to look at things from a different point of view, may give some clarity. If you do get around to watching Asia 58, ask your parents what the song “Co Nhung Nguoi Anh” is about and ask them to explain the lyrics to you, you might find it insightful.