By Jeremy Monteiro (Singapore)

A trailblazer and deeply respected figure, “Singapore’s King of Swing” Jeremy Monteiro has shaped the nation’s jazz scene with unyielding dedication. Since stepping into the industry at the age of 16 in 1976, the veteran musician has graced countless jazz stages at home and afar, collaborated with esteemed musicians, released a remarkable 50 albums, composed many iconic National Day songs and established the Jazz Association (Singapore). Relentlessly passionate, Monteiro is committed to bringing his genre of music to all corners of the island, and uplifting Singapore as a leading jazz city.

Beyond the stage, Monteiro has worked tirelessly to protect the rights of artists, having co-founded the Composers & Authors Society of Singapore Limited (COMPASS), where he continues to serve as Chairman of the Board. A vocal advocate for the local arts scene, he champions the growth of emerging talent and speaks candidly about the challenges artists face today. In recognition of his decades of service to the arts here, Monteiro was awarded the Cultural Medallion in 2002.

45RPM – Jeremy’s Jazz Journal (2022) is a deeply intimate and light-hearted celebration of Monteiro’s 45-year musical journey. Accompanied by close friends and music collaborators, he reflects on the defining moments of his career through songs that honour the joy, struggle and community that have shaped him. Full of warmth and heart, this performance charts the stories behind memorable career peaks, and shares precious anecdotes gained from his turbulent journey towards international accolades.

This recorded excerpt of the concert, specially curated for Replay – Screenings from the Esplanade Archives, features eight standout originals from Monteiro’s career-defining repertoire, including One People, One Nation, One Singapore, Brazilian Dreams and From Paris to Segré. Watch as Monteiro performs the masterpieces that showcase his versatility and soul, underlining his standing as inimitable leader of Singapore's jazz scene.

Brothers
Composer – Jeremy Monteiro
Accompanied by – JERAMZEE, Jazz Association Singapore Orchestra (JASSO), Jazz Association Singapore Youth Orchestra (JASSYO)

One People, One Nation, One Singapore
Composer – Jeremy Monteiro
Lyricist – Jim Aitchison
Arranged by – Michael Veerapen
Accompanied by – Alemay Fernandez, Danny Loong, Chok Kerong, JASSO, JASSYO

Blues for the Saxophone Club
Composer – Jeremy Monteiro
Accompanied by – Tony Lakatos, Nicolas Folmer, JASSO, JASSYO

Brazilian Dreams
Composer – Jeremy Monteiro
Lyricist – Melissa Tham
Accompanied by – Melissa Tham, JASSO, JASSYO

Nostalgia
Composer – Jeremy Monteiro
Arranged by – Scott Routenberg
Accompanied by – JASSO, JASSYO, Re:Sound

From Paris to Segré
Composer – Jeremy Monteiro & Eugene Pao
Arranged by – Scott Routenberg
Accompanied by – Toby Tan Kai Rong, JASSO, JASSYO, Re:Sound

Falling in Love Again
Composer – Jeremy Monteiro
Lyricist – Melissa Tham
Arranged by – Scott Routenberg
Accompanied by – Louis Soliano,Tony Lakatos, Nicolas Folmer, Melissa Tham, Alemay Fernandez, Richard Jackson, JASSO, JASSYO, Re:Sound

Josefina
Composer – Jeremy Monteiro
Arranged by – Michael Veerapen
Accompanied by – JASSO, JASSYO, Re:Sound

Showtime Productions
Technical Director and FOH Sound Engineer – Sunil Kumar
Lighting Designer – Fares Aljunied
Videography – Wan Zhong Wei for Dancing Legs Production
Production & Artist Manager – Melissa Tham
Production & Musicians Manager – Benny Goh
Artist Liaison Officer - Alexis Ho
Assistant Sound Engineer/Production Assistant – Kelly Tan
Makeup Artist – Christina Wong

Music & Movement
Creative Consultant – Lim Sek
Multimedia Co-ordinator – Susan Tay
Multimedia Operator – Tan Yong Sheng Samuel
APXGARY Photography & Videography – Gary Ang & Nicole Lo

An Esplanade Commission
By Singapore Symphony Orchestra (Singapore)

Programme
Grazyna Bacewicz – Overture (1943)
Felix Mendelssohn – Concerto for Piano, Violin & Orchestra in D minor, MWV O4 (1823)*
Jonathan Shin & Phoon Yu – Illuminations - Symphony for Organ, Chorus, and Orchestra (2022)**

In this full-length performance recording, audiences are invited to revisit Illuminations, a celebratory concert for Esplanade’s 20th anniversary. Commissioned by the arts centre in 2022, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) and choruses put on a show full of wonder and orchestral feats. The concert saw award-winning homegrown conductor Lien Boon Hua lead the SSO for the first time in a full-length performance at Esplanade Concert Hall. In this stunning debut, Lien deftly guided the orchestra with poise, grace and an effortlessly enchanting quality.

Illuminations proudly showcased the leading lights of the new generation of Singaporean classical music talent, opening with Grazyna Bacewicz’s Overture (1943). Rich with history and conviction, the work conveyed unwavering optimism and determination, qualities which were mirrored in the orchestra’s powerful performance. From bold declarations from the brass to perpetual motion from the strings, the SSO perfectly executed the composition’s unique sound textures.

Prominent young pianist Abigail Sin and violinist Loh Jun Hong, of the chamber music  duo better known as More than Music, then took to the stage to perform Felix Mendelssohn’s Concerto for Violin, Piano and Orchestra (1823). Their virtuosic interpretation brought to life the intricate dialogue between violin and piano, marked by fluid interplay and an undeniable synergy that revealed both mastery and trust.

The concert culminated in Illuminations – Symphony for Organ, Chorus, and Orchestra (2022), an Esplanade commission by composer-organist Phoon Yu and composer-pianist Jonathan Shin. Performed by the SSO alongside the Singapore Symphony Chorus, Youth Choir and Children’s Choir, this monumental work paid tribute to how the national performing arts centre literally and metaphorically shines a light on its artists, audiences and surroundings. Inspired by shared memories and forged through deep friendship, the piece evoked a luminous celebration of human connection. Emanating an aurora of hope, love, and light, Illuminations spoke to the strength of the indomitable human spirit, and the everlasting impact of the arts.

Conductor – Lien Boon Hua
Piano* – Abigail Sin
Violin* – Loh Jun Hong
Piano** – Jonathan Shin
Organ** – Phoon Yu
Singapore Symphony Chorus**
Singapore Symphony Youth Choir**
Singapore Symphony Childrens’ Choir**
Singapore Symphony Orchestra

By Linying (Singapore)

In this heartfelt reimagining and sold-out performance of her EP House Mouse, Singaporean singer-songwriter Linying invited fans back into her dreamlike interior world filled with tender self-discovery. This excerpt of her intimate performance at Esplanade Annexe Studio in 2024 brims with lyrical vulnerability and a quiet boldness, reflecting her expanded sonic palette. While Linying’s name has graced national headlines and international stages, including a performance at the Esplanade Concert Hall in 2022, here she stripped back to create a space to be her instinctive and unflinching self.

Floating between indie-pop and dream-synth soundscapes, Linying’s music moved with both precision and spontaneity. Her vocals, unmistakable in their clarity and ache, threaded through the set like a warm breeze, carrying moments of emotional openness and playful levity. Tracks from House Mouse unfolded with newfound warmth, while familiar songs from earlier releases were reimagined in richly textured arrangements that deepened their emotional core. Offering a glimpse into her then-upcoming and now released album Swim, Swim, Linying also revealed her deepening emotional nuance and musical maturity. Through the raw poetry of her song lyrics, Linying navigated fleeting romances, the relentless pull of reinvention and the parallel discovery of self and femininity.

Unapologetically present, Linying performed with a disarming honesty that allowed each song to resonate like a memory. At the heart of the experience is her invitation to connect not only with her, but with the uncertain and deeply human feelings we carry. With a gentle imagination, she offered her music as both mirror and refuge.

Guitar, Playback – Shahrin Syazwan
Keys, Synths – Naztykeyz
Bass – Ben Mah
Drums – Jolin Chiam
Saxophone – Samuel Cheah
Led by M.D. – Sano Shimano
Set design – Friday’s Garden
Visuals – Michelle Mei
Production Manager – Douglas Sebastiano
F.O.H. Engineer – Mark Spencer

An Esplanade Co-Production
By Singapore Chinese Orchestra (Singapore)

Based on the 1961 musical feature film produced by China’s Changchun Film Group Corporation, the story of Liu Sanjie continues to dazzle as the Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) adapted the music in the film to retell this narrative through choral symphony, as part of Huayi – Chinese Festival of the Arts in 2018.

Liu Sanjie, a woman from the Zhuang people of China’s Guangxi Autonomous Region, is originally of folkloric conception. Legend says she possesses the voice of angels, as her songs travel the mountains far and wide while she is tea-picking. However, an overlord named Mo Huairen, who owns the land where Liu Sanjie and her friends pick tea on, condemns her folk songs as subversive. Boldly, Liu Sanjie counters the obstacles he throws onto her path with wit and humour, singing her way to freedom. This cements her status as a cultural icon in China, becoming the representative of the proletariat hero in a class struggle.

Music Director of SCO Tsung Yeh and composer Law Wai Lun were inspired by the music of the original film and envisioned the choral symphony to expand this music into six movements. In this full recording, the performance begins with a slow and idyllic introduction to the expansiveness of Guangxi, and the orchestra culminates in grand proclamations of love and harmony. A crisp and cathartic vocal performance from soprano Wang Qing Shuang breathes Liu Sanjie to life again.

Conductor / Creative Conceptualisation: Tsung Yeh
Composer / Creative Conceptualisation: Law Wai Lun
Stage Director: Goh Boon Teck

Performers
Wang Qing Shuang (Soprano)
Jonathan Charles Tay (Tenor)
William Lim (Baritone)
Peng Siran (Soprano)
Alvin Chiam (Actor)
Raymond Lee (Tenor)
Alvin Tan (Baritone)
Jeremy Koh (Tenor)  

Orchestra: Singapore Chinese Orchestra
Choir: Vocal Associates Festival Choruses
Chorus Mistress: Khor Ai Ming

Set & Lighting Designer: Tommy Wong
Lighting and Media Operator: Low Wee Cheng
Costume Design: Max Tan and Yuan Zhiying, MAX.TAN
Makeup Artist: Bobbie Ng, The Make Up Room
Hair Design: Ashley Lim, Ashley Salon
Répétiteur: Beatrice Lin

By Christy Smith & Richard Jackson (Singapore / United States)

Beloved mentor, band leader and bassist, Christy Smith left a void a Singapore’s jazz community with his passing in 2024. His legendary ebullient 1990s gigs at the bygone Somerset’s and Harry’s bars, during which Smith could be heard issuing instructions from the bandstand in his distinctive rasp, were a learning experience for young musicians getting their first electrifying taste of live jazz. He went on to spend years generously sharing his musicality and knowledge, informally to those finding their way in the art form, and formally as an educator at the United World College of South East Asia and LASALLE College of the Arts.

Based here since 1993, American-born Smith became a bridge between his lineage of African American music and torchbearers of the current Singapore jazz scene. The likes of Andrew Lim, Chok Kerong, Tan Weixiang, and Joshua Wan found in Smith an inspirational figure, full of humour, personality and warmth.

Musical Conversations, one of several concerts performed by Smith at Esplanade, was an intimate gig at the Esplanade Recital Studio. Staged on 28 March 2021 amidst restrictions on audience capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic, it paired him with vocalist Richard Jackson, another veteran musician from the United States. After a first half comprising duets by them, the second half had keyboardist Wan and drummer Eric Hargrove rounding off the quartet, with Zora Smith, Christy’s daughter, as guest vocalist on a few tunes.

This recorded excerpt of the concert features three original pieces written by Smith that showcase a less well-known side of him—the composer. The performances of African Bounce, Lion City Blues and I’m Glad I’m Home highlight the artistry and virtuosity of a man who had shared the stage with international luminaries from Stevie Wonder to James Moody, as singularly dedicated to his craft as he was to building up others who came after him.

Vocals – Richard Jackson
Bass – Christy Smith
Keyboards – Joshua Wan
Drums – Eric Hargrove

By RUDRA (Singapore)

Specially edited for Replay – Screenings from the Esplanade Archives, this performance excerpt from Kalaa Utsavam 2021 is nothing short of a revelation. In a unique concert that brought two seemingly distant genres together, Singapore’s legendary metal pioneers RUDRA ascended the stage with three critically acclaimed Indian classical musicians in a bold and unprecedented collaboration. It was a performance that not only encapsulated the highs of RUDRA’s remarkable 29-year journey, but also the sheer vitality of Singapore’s metal scene.

With every chant, riff and resounding beat, RUDRA transcended musical boundaries. Progenitors of the Vedic metal genre, they fused the ferocity of death-black metal with the depth of Indian classical traditions, incorporating Sanskrit mantras and philosophical reflection. Through the depiction of a man’s journey from birth to enlightenment, RUDRA offered a ritualistic reflection on the human condition. Themes of death and rebirth, inner conflict, divine struggle, bliss and coexistence echoed through RUDRA’s genre-defying tracks.

There was magic in the cohesion, with self-taught musicians and classically trained artists coming together, bound by a shared love of the craft. Their stage presence was commanding yet sincere, drawing the audience into a collective catharsis. From the opening notes to the final invocation, it felt like flipping through the pages of RUDRA’s storied discography, with every note charged with intention and emotion.

Beyond the music was a sense of heartfelt conviction, of gratitude for those who came before, unwavering affection for the fans who continue to stand with them, and a heartfelt wish to clear a path for the voices yet to rise. Named after the Indian deity of Destruction, RUDRA lived up to their namesake, channelling power into spectacle in a true testament to endurance and the boundless potential of sound.

Check out more of RUDRA's music and videos on their official website. 

Bass, Vocals – Kathir
Drums – Shiva
Guitars – Vinod
Guitars – Devan
Flute (Bansuri) – Raghavendran Rajasekaran
Classical vocals (Carnatic) – Aditi Gopinathan
Percussion (Mridangam)– Viknash Balakirshnan

By Chok Kerong Trio featuring Aaron James Lee and Benjamin Poh (Singapore)

As a Mosaic Associate Artist, Chok Kerong is an outstanding musician whose artistry Esplanade is proud to support through tailored, intensive development. Widely regarded as one of Singapore’s most versatile and forward-thinking musical voices, Chok has amassed an impressive body of work. To name a few, his accomplishments include composing and arranging for prominent musicians such as Jeremy Monteiro, T’ang Quartet and the Singapore Wind Symphony. He has also been commissioned by renowned institutions like the Singapore Symphony Group, Jazz Association (Singapore) and Singapore International Festival of Arts. Additionally, he has performed as a leader of his own group at many international jazz festivals. Across all his pursuits, Chok reveals himself to be a swinging, harmonically inventive pianist and organist, and a composer of profound clarity and emotional resonance.

His performance in Threads, a 2021 Mosaic Music Series performance, is no exception. In this full-length recording of the performance, Chok performs original compositions from his prolific repertoire that intricately weave diverse genres into a cohesive whole. Live at Esplanade Recital Studio, Chok unveiled a new trio consisting of jazz stalwarts Aaron James Lee on drums and Benjamin Poh on bass.

What unfolded was a performance marked by remarkable cohesion and musical prowess. The trio played with fluidity and fearless curiosity, shifting between textures and forms, and pushing at the boundaries of genre while never losing their emotional centre. Their synergy spoke to a rare kind of musical dialogue that is expertly intuitive and joyfully transcendent. Threads, a moving portrait of collaboration at its most generous, was a masterful showcase of Chok’s compositional vision, reminding us that when made with soul and imagination, music can offer moments of wonder and connection.

Piano – Chok Kerong
Drums – Aaron James Lee
Bass – Benjamin Poh