The Gregory Wong Quintet will perform at Terra Drip Bar in Areia Preta district on Saturday, local trombonist Gregory Wong Weng Hou told The Macau Post Daily in an exclusive interview recently at the Macau Jazz Promotion Association (MJPA) venue in Areia Preta.
Wong started learning the trombone and jazz music in Macau at the age of 15, after which he obtained a bachelor of arts degree in trombone at the Chinese Culture University in Taipei and is currently a master‘s student majoring in jazz music at the Fu Jen Catholic University in New Taipei City. He has studied under jazz saxophonists Jimmy Lee Cheng-Yu and Kevin Liu.
Wong has played in numerous shows and music festivals in various bands and orchestras in Macau and Taiwan, such as the Taiwan Philharmonic, the Taipei Jazz Orchestra, and the Macau Jazz Orchestra.
The Gregory Wong Quintet features Wong, Ao Chon Fai on piano, Mars Lee on guitar, Johnny Yau on bass and Roy Tai on drums, presenting a selection of classics and a piece he composed. Wong noted that he had peformed with most of the quintet members before he went to study in Taiwan, and is looking forward to playing music with his friends again in front of local audiences.
Trombone, jazz
Wong said that the first time he got in touch with music was in a high school wind band. “My family did not take me to music lessons. When I joined the school band, initially I wanted to learn the saxophone – like most students did – but finally I ended up with the trombone because that was the only instrument I could make a sound with at that time,” Wong said.
The opportunity for Wong to be exposed to jazz music in Macau was a series of jazz workshops organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) in 2013. “I was fortunate enough to participate in the workshop with so many jazz masters, such as Zé Eduardo from Portugal, teaching us the fundamentals of jazz. The experience led me to fall in love with jazz and pursue my studies in Taiwan,” Wong underlined.
Nevertheless, Wong did not choose jazz music as his major for his bachelor degree. “At that stage, I considered a classical teaching route suitable for me since they place a strong emphasis on trombone techniques. After years of training and being confident in my passion for jazz music, I decided to continue my studies in jazz to further enhance my musicianship,” Wong noted.
Pandemic in Taiwan, opportunities
According to Wong, from what he has heard from his musician friends, the art industries in Macau were hard hit during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Wong said, he believes that the case was the reverse in Taiwan. “I think Taiwan controlled the pandemic situation really well: it neither had the strict measures like in Macau, nor did the virus rampage like in the United States.
“Thus, on the one hand, many talented young musicians remained in Taiwan to study or work in the music field and accelerated the jazz environment. On the other hand, the relatively safe situation in Taiwan attracted many famous jazzers from the West to escape the virus,” Wong said, adding that both factors accelerated the jazz development in Taiwan during the three years and he was fortunate enough to be part of the scene.
Nevertheless, Wong emphasised that for jazz to thrive in recent years in Taiwan, it all depended on the continuous endeavours of their predecessors. “I don’t think Taiwan has more resources in the music field compared to Macau, each has their own strong points.
“In the end however, I think what mattered most is the attitude of the people. Thanks to the continuous effort of many jazz players in Taiwan over the decades, it nurtured a wonderful environment where students committed to music due to passion while many audiences know how to appreciate and enjoy jazz,” Wong noted, adding that this environment, combined with the opportunity, stimulated the jazz community, creating wonders in jazz music on the island – something he hoped would happen as well in Macau in the future.
The performance will be held at Terra Drip Bar, La Cite Block 4, 364 Rua 1 de Maio, Areia Preta, on Saturday at 8 p.m. The tickets are priced at 120 patacas, with a drink included. Call 2847 3623 for enquiries.
Gregory Wong Weng Hou plays the trombone at the Sappho Live Jazz gig in Taipei last August. – All photos provided by Wong
Wong performs in a jazz big band last October during a music festival in Taichung.
Wong solos during a performance of the Midwest Jazz Orchestra in Taichung last November.
