"Jazz Knight" Niels Lan Doky arrives in Vietnam: A meeting after 20 years of waiting

(Dan Tri) - After 20 years, "Jazz Knight" Niels Lan Doky returns to Vietnam in a special music program. For him, this is not just a performance, but an emotional reunion with the audience and his homeland.

Nearly two decades after his last performance in his homeland, "Jazz Knight" Niels Lan Doky - a Danish piano legend of Vietnamese origin - will return to Vietnam in the Jazz Concert IMMERSED , taking place on November 15 in Ho Chi Minh City.

The program is part of the Living Heritage project (Heritage for the future), with the participation of director Pham Hoang Nam, music director Quoc Trung, and leading artists such as People's Artist Thanh Lam, Ha Tran, Quyen Thien Dac...

"Fate" returns, a meeting after 20 years of waiting

According to Ms. Luu Bao Huong - President of GG Corporation, the organizer of the music night - behind the nod to participate in the project is a "rare fate" in bringing artist Niels Lan Doky to Vietnam.

"More than 20 years ago, Niels Lan Doky collaborated with Quoc Trung and Thanh Lam on a number of projects. He always had deep affection for Vietnam, so when he heard the invitation, he responded to us as soon as he could arrange a schedule.

Working with him, we learned a lot, from his professionalism in organizing international music nights, his high discipline in his work schedule, but still very elegant, polite and supportive immediately and to the maximum extent possible. I think this is truly "heavenly time, favorable location, and harmony" because the schedules of these international stars are always packed," Ms. Huong said.

"Jazz Knight" Niels Lan Doky (Photo: Character provided).

Niels Lan Doky (Vietnamese name: Do Ky Lan) was born in 1963 in Denmark. He is a Vietnamese Jazz pianist of international stature. He is considered by the international press to be an outstanding "pianist" among the artists of his generation.

The male artist currently lives and works in New York (USA), but few people know that he and his younger brother Minh Doky (bass artist) inherited their musical talent from their father, a classical guitarist with Vietnamese blood.

In 1979, Niels Lan Doky went to the US to study at Berklee College of Music, quickly making a name for himself on the world Jazz map.

He has released more than 40 albums and performed at Carnegie Hall (USA), Royal Albert Hall (UK) and Blue Note (Tokyo). In 2010, the Queen of Denmark knighted him for his special contributions to international music.

In a short video sent to the Vietnamese audience before the show, Niels Lan Doky greeted them warmly in Vietnamese: "Hello Vietnam". He shared that he was very excited to return to perform in his homeland, which always holds a special place in his heart.

"It's been a long time since I last returned. I really can't wait to see my homeland again. This time, with my close colleagues, I want to immerse the audience in the deepest emotional space. I have a lot of things to tell you," the artist shared.

People's Artist Thanh Lam attended the event introducing the music night (Photo: Organizer).

Accompanying Niels Lan Doky are two close colleagues - Felix Pastorius (USA) and Jonas Johansen (Denmark) - who are big names in the contemporary Jazz scene.

"They come to Vietnam not only to perform, but also to join us in creating a musical space that is sophisticated, emotional and meaningful in connecting heritage," said Ms. Huong.

Journey to awaken heritage for the future

If the return of Niels Lan Doky is a reunion after 20 years of waiting, then for the production team, it is also the beginning of a journey to awaken the "heritage" in every Vietnamese person. The Living Heritage project aims to preserve, share and spread the quintessence of Vietnam around the world.

Along with Jazz Concert IMMERSED , the e-book publication The Universal Within will be released later this year, opening up profound dialogues about life lessons and legacies for the future.

The concert of "Jazz Knight" Niels Lan Doky is a slice of contemporary Vietnamese heritage, where Western music meets Eastern spirit, where a Vietnamese son carrying pride and love for his homeland, returns to tell his own story through music.

"Living Heritage is not just a series of art events, but a journey to enrich heritage, where culture, knowledge and humanity are passed on through music. Music is the fastest way to touch people's hearts. From those melodies, we believe that the humble, delicate and courageous Vietnamese spirit will be spread to future generations," Ms. Huong shared.

Ms. Luu Bao Huong - President of GG Corporation, the organizer of the music night (Photo: Organizing Committee).

According to Ms. Huong, Jazz Concert IMMERSED is not organized for commercial profit. The entire crew determined that this is a journey of dedication to give Vietnamese audiences the opportunity to enjoy top-notch Jazz art, in an international space.

"If we calculate the income and expenses, it is certainly not enough to compensate for the passion and effort of the crew. But we do not do it for money. The bigger goal is to bring a top-notch artistic experience, spreading the spirit of living a refined and valuable life," she said.

Ms. Huong did not reveal the salaries of international artists, but said all costs were optimized at the highest level of support, from sound and lighting systems to costumes and transportation.

"Fortunately, everything is at a reasonable level thanks to the spirit of resonance for art. The artists accepted not for financial reasons, but because of their kindness and desire to contribute to the community, and because of their love for Vietnam," she said.

Niels Lan Doky only had more than 24 hours in Vietnam. He landed in Ho Chi Minh City on the morning of November 15, performed in the evening, and left at noon the next day due to his busy schedule.

Ms. Huong added: "We really appreciate that short time, because it shows his professionalism and special affection for Vietnamese audiences."

Thanh Lam performs the song Hope, music composed by Niels Lan Doky, lyrics by Duong Thu (Video: YouTube Thanh Lam Audio).

Diva Thanh Lam - who collaborated with Niels Lan Doky on the album Asian Sessions more than 20 years ago - shared: "At that time, I was only 30 years old and had just given birth to my third child. Now that he has returned to Vietnam, I am very happy to meet him again. In the upcoming concert, I will sing again the songs recorded on his CD, a feeling of both nervousness and excitement."

Thanh Lam also revealed that she will have a special duet with Ha Tran: "We discussed carefully for the joint performance. Singing Jazz is singing in a wide range, full of improvisation, so I believe that when standing on stage with Ha Tran, we will let our emotions guide us."

Jazz concert - IMMERSED will take place on November 15 in Ho Chi Minh City.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giai-tri/hiep-si-jazz-niels-lan-doky-den-viet-nam-cuoc-gap-sau-20-nam-cho-doi-20251028141314674.htm