Play My Blues – Tommy Chung & The All Blues

Just like most of the people in Hong Kong, running out of space is always one of the major issues. Months ago, I decided to convert (or rip) all my Compact Discs to digital format. Over the past 30 to 40 days, I have ripped around 300+ CDs and now it came to its final stage.

If putting all these CDs in chronological order of purchase, somehow this will reflect the change in my musical taste in the past few decades. For the past 10 years or so, I mainly bought those Jazz or Blues CDs, contributed slightly around one fourth of my CD inventory.

And this is the last to be ripped, “Play My Blues” by Tommy Chung.

又是土地問題，早前決定要把家中所有音樂CD轉成數碼檔案。經歷數十天，完成了約三佰多隻CD，今晚終於踏入尾聲。

如果把這三佰多隻CD順購買時序排列，恰好就反影了過去數十年我在音樂口味上的轉變。以近十年來説，主要是爵士樂及藍調，佔了總數約四份之一。

從CD架取下最後要轉換的就是這隻， Tommy Chung 鍾慶龍 的 Play My Blues。

As I remember, this CD was bought in early 1997 and was also the first one for a local blues player. This CD was produced by one of the greatest Japanese Blues guitarist, Kazuo Takeda. Just like me, if you are old enough, you may also recalled the Japanese band Creation and also local artist Danny Summer. Under a special occasion, Tommy met Kazuo. Since then, Tommy had embarked on his wonderful blues music journey.

Later in 1996, Tommy flied to Tokyo and joined The All Blues band to record “Play My Blues“.

沒記錯的話，這CD大概是1997初購入，亦是第一隻我買的本地藍調樂手作品。這隻CD由日本版藍調大師 竹田和夫 所監製，如果你和我一樣年紀不少的話，你可能還會記起樂隊 Creation 及 夏韶聲。在一個機緣巧合的情況下，Tommy Chung 和竹田和夫連繫上，從此踏上不一樣的音樂旅程。

1996年，Tommy Chung 專程飛往東京的錄音室，和一眾頂級樂手組成的 The All Blues，造就出這隻 “Play My Blues“。

There is a YouTube video played by Tommy Chung in The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts back in 2009. You can have a look at how great this local blues guitarist is.

網上找來一段 2009 年 Tommy Chung 在演藝學院的錄影，大家可欣賞一下這位本地薑的藍調結他造詣。

While searching for Tommy Chung’s video, I came across another recent video “Kowloon Blues” by another blues musician Bluesman, that features Tommy Chung. A simple 12-Bar Blues that demonstrated the iconic blues progression.

在尋找這段影片時恰巧遇上 Tommy Chung 最近為樂手藍調人所彈奏的另一樂曲 “九龍藍調“，簡單的 12-Bar Blues，完美地帶出標志性的藍調的音樂。

One point to note is that Tommy Chung’s original job is totally unrelated to music. Something similar to another local Blues harmonicists, Henry Chung, they are all legal professionals.

Well, my dear friends who are legal professionals, may be you should stop and have a self-exploration.

You may be a music genius.

一個有趣的地方是 Tommy Chung 早年的工作是和音樂完全扯不上任何關係；與另一位本地藍調口琴大師 Henry Chung 相似，都是法律界專業人士。

看來身邊的法律界朋友，你們都要自我探討一下。

你可能也是一個音樂奇才啊！