Hà Nội's Jazz Scene

There is no doubt that the Herculean efforts of a few individuals, from bringing the sound into the public sphere, founding the jazz program at the conservatoire, disruptively innovating a nuanced sound to founding the only jazz club in the city, have been crucial in blazing a trail for jazz in Vietnam. But keeping jazz alive in socialist Hà Nội, and growing the jazz scene, as one musician puts it, is by itself a collective effort akin to the noble act of canh chuà [upkeep a village temple]. We argue that the growth of Hà Nội's jazz scene has been mediated through an interplay of the conservatoire's jazz program, musical mentorship by individual musicians, and Minh's Jazz Club, with all three combining to fulfill the multi-faceted roles undertaken by the “perfect jazz club” such as suggested by Nat Hentoff. And once on stage in the public sphere, Vietnamese jazz musicians would always have to demonstrate a high level of artistic sophistication and prove that they could really swing and improvise. Ultimately, they are expected to show domestic audience that jazz is compatible with Vietnam's rich musical heritage; and analogously for the international audience, an original, nuanced sound from Vietnam.