SabahSongs book

  • Signing a Book for CK Wong, Photographer

    CK Wong is a photographer in Kota Kinabalu. His work appeared in my blog SabahSongs, as we were all covering performing musicians in the heyday of ten years ago. I was writing about them and photographers were covering events. The… Continue reading

    Signing a Book for CK Wong, Photographer
  • Playing for Datuk CL Chan’s book launch – audio

    I was so pleased to be able to play background piano for the book launch for Datuk CL Chan’s book ‘Family Ties’, which is a history of five generations of his family, from their journey from China to Sandakan to… Continue reading

    Playing for Datuk CL Chan’s book launch – audio
  • SabahSongs book in Tanjung Aru new library

    Thank you Emmanuel “Nuk” Chee for sending me this photo. A new library has just opened up in the Tanjung Aru area of Kota Kinabalu. Nuk saw the SabahSongs book on a trolley. Let’s hope they place it where everyone… Continue reading

    SabahSongs book in Tanjung Aru new library
  • Datuk Peter Pragas

    When I first visited Datuk Peter Pragas, he welcomed me with a gentleness which made me feel quietly delighted and humbled. We shared a plate of biscuits and soft drinks at his daughter Jeanette’s home, off Jalan Bundusan. The living… Continue reading

    Datuk Peter Pragas
  • Tian Long – the Hakka Singer

    After a decade of challenges in the Malaysian music industry, graphic designer Tian Long had given up on making a living through music. Then he made a funny animated video about being a Hakka Chinese guy pleading with his girlfriend… Continue reading

    Tian Long – the Hakka Singer
  • Sophie Van Aerde

    In 2008 Dr. Sophie Van Aerde arrived in Sabah from France. Two weeks later, I arrived in Sabah from England. We soon formed a violin-piano duo called Klasik Elastik. Here, Sophie talks about the French education programme which helped her… Continue reading

    Sophie Van Aerde
  • The Story of Kidz

    A group of waist-high kids being adopted by a music mentor, to be tutored at his home? Seems unthinkable doesn’t it? Moses De Silva, a double bass player in Kota Kinabalu, was my translator in this interview. Warning: a bit… Continue reading

    The Story of Kidz
  • Sunset Symphony – music in a Kudat paradise

    The photographs in the book were better, supplied by the Sabah Tourism Board. But Kudat manages to shine, even with what I have here. [Excerpt from: Funk, Joanna. SabahSongs: Contemporary Music in Sabah. Kota Kinabalu: Opus Publications, 2013. 44-50. Print.]… Continue reading

    Sunset Symphony – music in a Kudat paradise