Babεl sings 上海灘 (The Bund) arr Chai

Описание: The Bund • 上海灘
Arr. Cherie Chai (顧嘉輝)

Recorded in May 16, 2024 as part of PODIUM Festival (Montreal) - Christ Church Cathedral

Soloists: (L-R) Tarqin Wong-Kee, Manishya Jayasundera, Agnes Ng, Anika Venkatesh, Tracy Wong, Elaine Choi

Audio and Video by Brenden Friesen

Program note:

Written by well known song writer Joseph Koo in the 80s, “上海灘" (Shanghai Bund) is the theme song for a drama series with the same title. The series was a smash hit and became a staple in Hong Kong television history. The song became popular during the golden era of Chinese cinema and has since been covered by numerous artists in various languages across Asia.
The song's lyrics depict the bustling and romantic atmosphere of Shanghai's iconic waterfront area, known as "The Bund," during the 1930s. It describes the glamour, excitement, and intrigue of the era, capturing the essence of Shanghai's bustling nightlife and the allure of its cosmopolitan lifestyle. For those familiar, it evokes a sense of longing for the vibrant cultural scene of pre-war Shanghai.
The melody is catchy and nostalgic, with a blend of traditional Chinese music elements and Western jazz influences, reflecting the fusion of cultures that characterized Shanghai during that time.
Arranger Cherie Chai is a Singaporean choral conductor, arranger, vocal & instrumental percussionist, audio engineer, and singer. In her reflection of why she wrote the piece, Cherie says “​​I live in a Singaporean Housing Development Board (HDB) flat, and my neighbour was an avid karaoke singer. So I grew up to weekly karaoke sessions of him practicing 上海滩, and the song grew on me. When I started dabbling with arrangements at 18, this was the first "pop" song I attempted to arrange, because the orchestration was what I was most familiar with! Since then, as I've gained experience as an arranger, it's been revised, improved, and made more singer friendly.”


Program notes by Babεl