Activities
An applesauce session…
David Applesauce Tran has released a 5-song EP called “O San Francisco.” Recorded by HTP as a soft acoustic jam, “O San Francisco” shows a personal side of the Vietnamese soul man himself as he belts out some goodies. The album was written and produced by Applesauce and has a few cool surprises.
Just do it…do it…get a copy from him now. More information on Applesauce Tran is available at www.myspace.com/applesaucetran.
All for charity
Big Saigon by Night (BSBN) held its second fundraiser show in Orange County on Friday, July 6. Truly original and hip, BSBN gathers artists from different backgrounds on one stage for charity and to have fun. The first show in April was a special fundraiser for www.projectmotivate.org, and Friday night’s show benefited the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation. There were musical performances by David Tran, Chosen One, Thomas’s Apartment, Masoul, Vy, and Nam Ninja as well as spoken word performances by Rainy, John Nguyen the 5th, Tony Toke, and Jenni Trang Le. It was a fun-filled evening, and these artists rocked the house!
HTP is a proud sponsor of Big Saigon by Night, and we commend founders David and Nam for organizing a great event. More information on Big Saigon by Night is available at www.myspace.com/bigsaigon.
Going global
We were recently in Las Vegas for the Miss Vietnamese Global pageant on June 28 at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Ha Tran was one of the special performers at this event, which attracted pageant contestants from around the world, and she sang to an audience of more than 4000 people. Despite the 112-degree heat, it was a fun weekend, and we managed to break even before going home.
New album by Ha Tran
We’re pleased to announce the release of Ha Tran’s new album, Tinh Ca Qua The Ky (Timeless Love Songs), a collaboration with Thuy Nga Entertainment. Recorded in California and Hanoi, the album features 13 new songs reminiscent of Ha’s early jazzy style and is a tribute to the timeless classics that inspired her. Only recently released on June 22, Tinh Ca Qua The Ky has already gotten great reviews and becoming a buzz among her fans. Get your own copy at www.cdbaby.com/hatran.
2007 VANG Gala
Ha Tran was a special guest performer at the Vietnamese American National Gala (VANG) in Houston, TX, on May 19. VANG is a national annual celebration of Vietnamese heritage and pride and held in conjunction with the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. The event features the Vietnamese American Community’s celebration of professional achievements and community contributions and brings together thousands of elected officials, corporate sponsors, community and business leaders, and Vietnamese American luminaries. More information on VANG is available at www.vangusa.com.
Transmission in progress…
HTP will be releasing the third album from Whodat later this year. Whodat is the pet project of Ben Doan and incorporates electronic, pop, and ambient influences. The album will include all new material and feature collaborations with some friends. As the old saying goes, if the name is not on the credits page, then the name didn’t contribute! Look for an official announcement by HTP. Demo songs from the new album are available at www.myspace.com/whodatmusic.
Some great news…
We’re happy to update you on Communication 06, which has received some high honors in Vietnam since its release. In a year-end poll by a leading Vietnamese music website (www.nhacso.net), Communication 06 received the most online votes for the best Vietnamese album of 2006. Labor Newspaper, one of the leading newspapers in Vietnam, voted Communication 06 as 1 of the 9 best albums of 2006. Recently, the album received the “Innovation Award” from Sports and Culture Newspaper during its Album of the Year Awards on March 20, 2007. The nominees were nominated by the newspaper’s readers and voted by music journalists throughout the country. Communication 06 got 27/72 votes and beat out 4 other nominees including strong contenders My Tam, Thu Minh, and saxophonist Tran Manh Tuan.
Save the Bear:
A track from “Ha Tran Communication 06” was chosen as the feature song of an ad campaign focusing on the plight of bear poaching in Asia. The track, “The Calling” (Tien Goi), is featured in the Save the Bear Foundation’s television ad campaign, which started airing on Vietnamese television in January of 2007. More information on Save the Bear Foundation is available here: www.envietnam.org You can watch the clip in its entirety here:
(January, 2007)
Back in the States…Ha Tran hanging out in H.B. with some of the guys from the Vietnamese Artists Network (VAN) - Huy (far left), Hai (left), and Nhan (far right). VAN (www.vietnameseartists.net) is a network for Vietnamese artists and fans throughout the world. (November, 2006)
Ha Tran signing autographs at a promotional event in Vietnam. (September, 2006)
Ha Tran performing on “Com06” tour in Vietnam. (August, 2006)
Ha Tran signing autographs on the show.
Ha at a “Com06” signing session in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Standing across from Ha is graphics artist/designer Dzung Yoko, who did the album’s artwork. Dzung’s artwork on Ha’s previous album, “Ha Tran 98-03,” was voted by the Vietnamese media as one of the best album covers in 2005. (August, 2006).
Ha Tran standing in front of the giant “Communication 06” promo poster at Eurovision in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The album was released in Vietnam in August, and Ha spent two months there to promote it. (August, 2006)
Ha Tran with John Vestman (right) and Don Sundstrom (left) at Vestman Mastering Facility (www.johnvestman.com) in Orange County, California. John and Don are the creators of separations mastering and have appeared in a number of pro audio magazines…they are the gurus! (August, 2006)
Thanh Phuong mixing at Sound Matrix Studios in Orange County. They had just installed a new Digidesign D-Command board in the main room, and Phuong got the honor of breaking it in. And as you can see, he had fun doing it, too! (July, 2006)
Another shot of Thanh Phuong at Sound Matrix, California. Sitting with Phuong is Gabriel, one of Sound Matrix’s house engineers. Phuong and Ha spent almost 3 weeks at Matrix and had a blast…thanks Scott and Chris! (July, 2006)
Thanh Phuong and Ha Tran jamming with brothers Bau (guitars) and Meo (drums) Nguyen and founders of SYG, one of the hardest and loudest Vietnamese metal bands. The impromptu performance was spectacular and deafening…these guys rocked! (June, 2006)
Ha going over a track with Manoj and Garrett, the two house engineers at King Klong. (April, 2006)
Thanh Phuong and Ha Tran tracking at King Klong Music Group in North Hollywood, California. Ha and Phuong spent two days at King Klong to record vocals and guitars. Here is a glimpse as they prepared to track “Que Nha.” (April, 2006).
School’s in session…
On their recent trip to Vietnam, Ben and Ha attended a special student showcase at Hanoi University of Technology. The special event also commemorated a graduating MBA class at the University. Ben and Ha were invited onstage to answer some questions and address the importance of education in today’s global community.
