Hạ trắng (White Summer) - Harmonica

Another nice song composed by Trinh Cong Son was beautifully played on harmonica by Tong Son - the only harmonica player in Vietnam.

Harmonica player Tong Son can play his instrument while eating banana or drinking a beer.




After a raid by French army to southern province Vinh Long in 1945, local people returned home from refuge to search for their property and relative. A 14 -- 15-year-old boy helped them.




At that time, Tong, the boy, found a harmonica from the ruin, and he has kept it his whole life.




Tong passionately plays the harmonica everyday with songs that he learns from around people. The harmonica has never left out of his pocket.




At the age 20, Tong has played the instrument so well, an earned a lot of fans. At the time, the Radio France Asia opens several competitions for harmonica players in Asia. Tong attended the contests under name Tong Son, adding his father's name after his, and earned all prizes from the competitions.




He naturally became famous and being regular invited musicians at bars and music festivals. Tong attracts audiences with romantic melodies, especially his performance played with saxophonist Huynh Hoa. They together are known as the most successful performing pair in Vietnam in last 20 years.




Along the love to the harmonica, Tong creates a lot ways to play his instrument. He tries to play it while eating banana, drinking beer, or making sound from any angles of the instrument. With a harmonica held in mouth, and another clipped between nose and mouth, Tong can play a music composition without hands.




Tong said in 55 years performing, his most memorial story was once, an audience met him at a coffee after his performance, he loudly accused Tong tricked audiences, as Tong can not playing and eating as well. The sound must be from his orchestra, while Tong eating and drinking.




At the next performance, Tong asked the orchestra to let him perform solo. The angry audience changed his mind and said Tong was a "real artist".




Now, Tong lives simply at an alley in Phu Nhuan District, HCM City and travel round for his show.




Tong said he has eaten about 10 tonnes of banana and drunk over 30,000 liters of beer in 55 years performing. In November 2000, Tong performed for US President Bill Clinton when he visited Vietnam.




In September 2005, Tong was invited to joint show Vietnam's Extraordinary Stories of the Vietnam Television. He was also named on the VietBook.




(Source: NLD)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• harmonica
• harmonica4u
• trinh
• cong
• son
• ha
• trang
• tong

[AloneInTheLove]

NS,Tòng Sơn muôn năm........

[biaduyquang]

TIENG KEN HARMONICA CUA TONG SON THAT TUYET VOI DIEN TA DAY DU VA LANG MAN TINH KHUC TREN CA SU TUYET VOI CUA CO NS TCS .

[TheWizardTree]

We play a different white summer but still chill :)

[votinhquenanh]

nhạc trịnh đúng là gieo vào lòng người nghe một súc cảm dâng trào, cộng thêm âm thanh da diết của harmonica thật không gì sánh bàng, áo xưa dù nhàu, cũng xin bạc đầu, gọi mãi tên nhau

[geminilpu]

great

[TungTran87]

trịnh công sơn là số 1

[mrblack87full]

@asiane : it is called "white summer" its very nice song and popular in vietnam by greatest musician "Trinh Cong Son " .You can search by Google "Ha Trắng " ;) good job !

[bladelee36]

@asiane , can you read the title?

[asiane]

what's the name of this song? i don't know vietnamese, but i've heard of this song forever.....seem like a very popular song from vietnamese....

[jimmyharp]

Thank you very much for letting me know his story! His play is so touching and beautiful!!!