universal blues band

"The Universal Blues Band plays and sings the blues with deep feeling and real taste. They are excellent musicians who compare favorably with the finest American blues bands. The intensity and honesty of their music truly moved me."
Bruce Iglauer - Founder of multiple-Grammy nominated Alligator Records, USA

With an internationally acclaimed debut album, festivals in their honour, rave press reviews and coverage and international radio chart placings, the ublues band is truly a unique music group, the likes of which has yet to be seen in Asia.

The ublues band are (L-R):

Trevor Jalla - Lead vocals, guitar
Gary Tan - Drums
Francis Chan - Bass, vocals
Danny Loong - Guitar, keyboards, vocals

Photo by Benjamin See

1. Day Train
2. Get on the blues train
3. Walking blues
4. I can't cook
5. Marnie Lee
6. Talk to the hand
7. Cooking with gas
8. Night Train
9. Night is calling
10. Staring out my doorway
11. From the day we met
12. Come on in my kitchen
13. Its your call
14. Almost home
15. Monkey off my back
16. Get on the blues train (gospel)
17. Countdown

"Every few years in our local music scene, a musician or band appears which excites me when I listen to them. The UBlues band is one such band. They have become an important component of the Singapore music scene and they have also piqued the interest of Blues fans in the region and beyond. Blues music seems like a simple genre of music to play, mostly because most of the tunes only have three or four chord changes. It is an artform that is easy to learn but difficult to master. As a result, if not played well, I usually get restless and need to leave after two or three tunes. However, the UBlues Band plays the Blues with such authenticity and heart that I usually end up staying all night to listen to them. The Ublues band is the real thing."
Jeremy Monteiro - Singapore's King of Swing and Cultural Medallion winner

"No offense, but how is it that you Asians can play the blues?"

This is a question Danny Loong and Trevor Jalla from the Universal Blues Band are often asked at their gigs. Their reply, "anyone can get into the blues, because it's a universal feeling."

The Australian-born, Singapore-based Universal Blues Band began as a dream to unite people through the blues. This dream inspired Loong, Singaporean film maker/musician to produce and direct "Universal Blues" (1998, blue daniel films), a 15 minute semi-biographical film (16mm) documenting incidents of racial abuse he experienced as an international student in Western Australia in 1996. This film expresses the blues as a form of escape for Loong in dealing with his experiences as well as his vision of the true potential of blues and roots music as a medium of cross-cultural exchange. The film is part of Loong's honours thesis which also includes a 130-page written component, "Universal Blues - film, racism and the blues". In it he explores the history and characteristics of prejudice in Australia and African American culture, the blues and its roots, and the "Universal Blues" concept, that music transcends all boundaries, be it race, culture, age or sex. Loong has presented his film and spoken in several international film festivals, university conferences and seminars, and music festivals, such as the 1998 High Street Blues Festival and Blues at Bridgetown 2000. The film and thesis is currently reference material for the following university units, Cross-Cultural Psychology at Murdoch University and Notre Dame University (Western Australia) and African American Popular Culture at La Trobe University (Melbourne).

Loong is an avid blues fan and a mostly self-taught musician, has been playing the blues for more than 10 years since the day he watched boogie-woogie legend Jimmy Yancey on television in 1986. Inspired by this, he immediately bought old blues and boogie records and started learning blues piano by listening and emulating. As he got deeper into the music, he discovered the blues of Eric Clapton and through him, legends such as BB King, Little Walter and Buddy Guy. Inspired by what heard, he went on to learn guitar and harmonica. In a quest to understand why the blues moved him so deeply, his search led him to develop an interest in African American history and culture. This interest became the basis of his thesis and film. While promoting his film, Loong met Malaysian-born Trevor Jalla (vocals/guitar) at the 1998 Blues at Bridgetown Festival. Joining Jalla onstage for a jam, the two found a mutual respect for each other, fuelled by a common love and understanding of the blues. The Universal Blues Band was born.

Jalla, 23, is a promising and talented musician whose passionate singing and guitar style has gained much attention. Growing up in a musical family and with Eric Clapton also an early influence, Jalla fell deeper into the blues when he first heard Stevie Ray Vaughan's rendition of "Texas Flood". From then, his playing became greatly influenced by his heroes, blues legends Albert Collins, BB King, Albert King and Buddy Guy, and well as the soulful Holmes Brothers. Jalla has experienced living in different cultures and has strong links to Singapore (mother, Singaporean), indigenous Sarawak (father, Kelabit) and Australia (stayed for the last 8 years).

In recording "Get on the blues" the ublues Australian rhythm section featured bassist Phil Arena and drummer Joe Whittle. Now based in Singapore, the ublues rhythm section features local stalwart Francis Chan on bass. Francis has been involved in the music industry for over 30 years. He has performed and recorded in Singapore and Taiwan, from styles spannigng pop and rock to jazz, while retaining an impeccable feel for old-school blues and soul. The band is currently backed by various Singapore-based drummers, including Elvin Tan, Kenny Hogan and Edmond Branson Jr. The drum throne is currently occupied by Gary Tan, arguably Singapore's most experience blues drummer.

Thus far, the Universal Blues Band delivered several memorable performances in several West Australian venues. In July 1999, they performed at the concert venue, Kulcha. The evening was an expression of "Universal Blues" through a musical and filmic experience, with the Mounty Gospel Choir setting the atmosphere with soulful gospel tunes, followed by a screening of "Universal Blues" and a performance by the band. They returned later that year to perform once more at Kulcha as part of the 1999 Festival of Fremantle. Other performances have further cemented the band's reputation, including appearances at Blues at Bridgetown 1999, Perth Blues Club, Fly by Night Musician's Club and the Ascot Rhythm and Blues Festival 2000.

Each time they play, the Universal Blues Band attracts a wider following from diverse audiences, reflecting their passionate live performance combined with an important philosophy. The band launched their debut album "Get on the blues train" on 1st April 2000 at the Inaugural Universal Blues Festival. This festival was founded by Loong and organised by his music company, ublues network, to further the "Universal Blues" mission. The event featured prominent acts such as Rick Steele and the Hot Biscuit Band, Don Gomes and the African Music Congress, and received great responses from sponsors (Murdoch University, Contact Singapore, British Airways, etc) musicians, audiences, supporting organisations (Perth Blues Club, Perth Jazz Society, etc) and the local media. The festival is set to become an annual event with the next one planned to be held in Singapore. Their message continues to spread and more people are becoming aware of its social significance. So much so that in November 2000, "Universal Blues" was used with permission from ublues network, as the theme for Blues at Bridgetown 2000. The festival is Western Australia's premier blues festival with an annual (attendance approx. 15,000 people) and arguably the largest blues and roots festival in the Southern Hemisphere with the live web-cast of the event, the first of its kind in Australia, appropriately at the same setting where Loong and Jalla first met in 1998. Loong's film screened periodically and the band, one of the featured acts and shared the stage with the best in the business including local favourites the Zydecats and international artists such as delta blues legend John Hammond.

Loong and Jalla are now based in Singapore, and have performed as an acoustic duo, being featured at the National University of Singapore, Singapore Management University and on national television with TV Works "Big Buffet" and "Jalan Jalan" programs, on MediaCorp's Arts Central, and Channel 5's "upwardly mobile". They are also a part of a "5 guys and a girl" radio show with Rod and Glen from Perfect 10 98.7FM every monday morning from 8-10am for "Sing the blues Monday".

The band has performed as part of the Singapore Arts Festival 2001 and 2002, an international event attracting top artists from all over the world. They a feature in the ongoing Chijmes Sunday Blues Series, which ublues network co-organise with their partners Caldwell Arts. The bands highlight for the year was UBLUES Fest 2002, held in July at Fort Canning Park. This premier blues, soul and funk music festival saw 4000 people come together to soak in music which featured bands from the USA, Australia, Singapore and Malaysia. The bands unique presence at performances continue to stop audiences, intrigued to see a local outfit playing authentic blues, funk and soul music.

Their progress in this short time is a testament to their determination, inspired by the sincerity of the blues - a train of rhythm that will never stop, as they prepare to unveil to the world a new dimension of the blues, an Asian voice.