PhilipMorris (Thailand) Ltd. , The Westin Hotel and the US Consulate General in Chiang Mai all joined together to present Mississippi Blues Night in Chiang Mai on October 3, 2003.

What the Chiang Mai Mail had to say:

10 out of 10 for a night of Jazz and Blues

By Marion Vogt
Photos by Michael Vogt

American Voices, an independent non-profit American NGO, presented an exceptional concert of jazz and blues at the Grand Nanta Ballroom in the Westin Hotel, Chiang Mai.

What a great combination - CoCo York and Mike Del Ferro on piano.

The ballroom, set up for an audience of 600, was packed an hour before the concert started, and another 100 chairs did not solve the ‘chair problem’.

(From left) Mike Del Ferro, CoCo York, drummer Roy Dackus, and bassist Yasuhito Mori received flowers from (not shown) US Consul General Eric Rubin and Prinya Parnthong, vice governor of Chiang Mai (also not shown).

With so many people eager to listen to jazz and blues, it was no surprise the mood was excitement right from the beginning. US Consul General Eric Rubin told the audience that this tribute to jazz and blues was to pay homage to 100 years of blues. When he added that US president George W. Bush declared 2003 the ‘Year of the Blues’, he received many smiles, giggles and chuckles from the Americans in the audience. He said that it was his personal honor and privilege to introduce the Mike Del Ferro Trio and CoCo York, who currently tour the world to bring American music to audiences who normally would not have the chance to listen to such world class musicians.

700 chairs were just not enough, and another 70 stood for the whole evening. That’s a crowded house.

John Ferguson, the artistic director of American Voices since 1993, explained the program of the evening, which was a combination of jazz and opera during the first part, and blues and jazz after the intermission.

Interacting with the folks in the audience - CoCo’s way.

A combination of opera and jazz? There was a question mark in the air, but when the Mike Del Ferro Trio started with an Italian love song ‘Non ti scodra di me’ (Don’t forget me), followed by a quick jazz intermezzo with a drum solo by Roy Dackus, the applause became spontaneous. By song number three, ‘E lucevan le stelle’, from Puccini, there was no doubt that jazz and opera really go well together.

The musicians received a standing ovation.

Pianist Mike Del Ferro, drummer Roy Dackus and bassist Yasuhito Mori literally teased the audience. Their interpretation of Puccini was moving from opera to jazz and to salsa, enriched with drum, bass and piano solos, complete with changing tempos and rhythm.

Chiang Mai Vice Governor Prinya Parnthong and his wife enjoyed the show, as did US Consul General Eric Rubin and his wife Nicole.

The last song before the break was ‘Habanera’ where once again jazz, opera and salsa met in exciting crescendos, with drummer Roy Dackus changing from the drum set to a Cajon, which many people of the audience probably had mistaken as a bass box.

Simply perfection between Mike and Roy Dackus.

Part two was dedicated to the blues, and the minute CoCo York entered the stage she had everyone under her spell, saying to the audience that they’d better clap when she sings! It was a vocal feast, her humor while joking with the audience, her interpretation of well known songs such as ‘Georgia on my mind’ and ‘Unchain my heart’, interpreted so meaningfully with life and vigor that the audience was gripped and her stunning voice gave everybody goose bumps.

All four musicians again gave their very best for the Chiang Mai audience.

CoCo didn’t show any respect to the TV cameras and technicians, disappearing at will to see how long it would be before the camera man would find her again, but she met her match with around 30 nuns in the audience almost making her stumble for words. She was looking for excuses regarding her language, but at the same time asking for forgiveness with an unplanned (and un-rehearsed) gospel song, especially for the ‘sisters’ in the audience. The audience, including the nuns, were openly clapping and laughing.

Working his heart out at the drums - Roy Dackus.

After the touching gospel ‘Making heaven my home’, CoCo performed one overpowering song after another, seducing the audience, organizing little interactive games, and receiving in exchange the hearts of more than 700 people from Chiang Mai who could not get enough of her.

What looked like a speaker box was the rather unusual “Cajon”. Sit on it, beat it, and you’ll be surprised by all the bells and whistles this box features.

CoCo York’s emotions, her charming, warm personality with just the right amount of mischief, and her way of singing the blues has given her an enduring fan club in northern Thailand.