Tommy Chung remains a highly influential blues figure in my musical journey. It has highly to do with our similarities and differences. First, similarities: Tommy and I share the same surname. In Chinese culture, it is believed that people with the same last name come from the same ancestry and are closer in blood relations. Therefore, Tommy and I are supposedly family (think of the song "We Are Family" by Sister Sledge). Second, we both studied overseas and incidentally, we studied law. Tommy is now an accomplished barrister in Hong Kong and I am waiting to receive my law degree from Georgetown Law School this coming May. But most importantly, we both dig the blues.

Besides being a fine vocalist, Tommy is one of the best and most versatile pure blues guitarists in Hong Kong. Tommy Chung's unique blues sounds first caught my eyes in 1995 when he arranged and played slide guitar on Danny Summer's signature tune "Now & Then" on the album of the same title. At that time, I thought, this player is top-notch and it's incredible to know there are blues players in Hong Kong. At that time, I was already listening to bluesmen like Muddy Waters, B.B. King, John Lee Hooker, Eric Clapton and Albert King. Tommy's arrangement opened my eyes for Hong Kong blues. At that time, I had a radio show in my high school radio station, WNMH, in Massachusetts. I made a revolutionary move and played "Now & Then" on my show. It was first ever Cantonese song played at WNMH's history.

Then in the summer of 1996, I was once again back in Hong Kong. I first heard Tommy's voice in his radio show on FM Select station. Inevitably, his show was devoted to the blues. In particular, he introduced some of the underrated yet highly skilled blues people such as Freddie King, Johnny Winter, Peter Green, Hound Dog Taylor, Otis Rush, etc.. With the success of his radio show, Tommy launched his first CD Play My Blues recorded at the JVC studio in Japan and produced by the Japanese blues king Kazuo Takeda. The title song "Play My Blues" stunned me first on his radio program. I remember thinking to myself, "This guy can't possibly be an Asian player. How can he sound so much like Johnny Winter yet there's a slice of the deep south black soul in his blues?" The CD gave rise to Tommy's first concert at AC Hall in winter 1996. I was very thrilled to see that concert because it was probably Hong Kong's first pure blues concert. I was also thrilled to see Danny Summer and Kazuo Takeda play live on stage. Kazuo's wife Yoko Hashimoto also shared the stage with her heart-propping harmonica solos. I saw Tommy again three years later at Jazz and Blues Club (July 26, 2000). This time, Tommy has greatly improved his playing and defined his sounds. Little by little, Tommy has perfected his style and attained his own brand of "Tommy Chung blues," that is upbeat, expressive playing with strong guitar resonance.

Finally, I got the chance to jam with Tommy, after he opened Hong Kong's first pure blues club 48th Street Chicago Blues in Tsim Sha Tsui. This club is devoted to blues music and is for blues fans only. Tommy would invite prominent musicians and bands such as Kazuo Takeda, Helter Skelter, Masa Oya and Takakatni to play at the club. Tommy and The All Blues play traditional blues and some original Tommy Chung compositions every Saturday night. The cover is $130 with three free drinks. If you are looking for a place to hear Delta or Chicago blues with an Asian touch, 48th Street is no rip off and is a fantastic weekend hangout.

Thanks to Tommy Chung for spreading the blues gospel.

Henry Y. Chung
12/31/2001