She only gets better

ONLY 18, Mia Germain Palencia has developed her own kind of fusion magic, writes AHMAD NAZRUL CAMALXAMAN.

EVEN though she started singing at the tender age of two, Sabahan Mia Germain Palencia never thought about making singing a career.

Then, in a kindergarten state-wide competition, she performed a Chinese song called Butterfly and won first prize for her school. She was only four and that marked the start of a bright future.

When others were concentrating on their studies, Fourth Former Mia launched her first album, Double Take, with guitarist Roger Wang, an audio engineer and music producer.

This scribe first caught Mia late last year at No Black Tie, singing to Wang's strumming. She seemed, as expected, a bit nervous.

Then again, which 18-year-old wouldn't be if the audience's attention was focused solely on your musical abilities and talent? This time round, she was at the Kit Kat Piano Lounge at the Sheraton Imperial, Kuala Lumpur.

She was also evidently more confident with the crowd, and she had brought along a band. Not just any band, though.

GrooveJunction is a young multi-racial, multi-talented band with Eric Li Yuan (23) on piano, Rozhan Razman (24) on bass, Kevin Choo (26) on saxophone and Josie's son John (19) on drums.
But the leader is the legendary jazz guitar maestro, Josie Thomas, whose name must be synonymous with other local music legendary masters such as Michael Veerapen and Paul Ponnudurai.

With Double Take, it was just Mia and Roger. They gelled together perfectly. Her silky voice contrasting with his melodic teasing of the guitar. Now, with a band, it is a different matter.

"Now I have to think of five other people with me on stage. That's a lot of timing that I have to keep up with. Josie is quite strict when it comes to practice. It helps a lot actually.

"He helped me learn about jazz, about music, about improvisations. He lets me have more freedom to express myself, my music."

Drawing inspirations from Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Diana Krall, Sting and John Mayer, Mia has developed her own kind of fusion jazz combining vocal talent and musical magic.

Belting out hits such as Do For Love, Don't You Worry About A Thing, Michael Bolton's I Fell For You, Superstitious and Talking Loud, she had the audience were she wanted: clapping and cheering for more.

"When No Black Tie closed down, it was a massive blow to the local jazz scene. We lost more than a good venue. It was a launching platform, with all the support that came with it.

"Personally, what I would like to see is more fresh local talent setting up their own independent labels. You do not have to be with a huge recording company to make it big."

GrooveJunction will also be playing at Alexis Ampang Bistro on May 14 and 15.

Meanwhile, Roger is billed to play "Roger Wang & Friends in Concert" organised by Jumbo Group and RAM Productions Sdn Bhd on June 5 in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

And Mia?

She has a solo album that she's working on.

"The songs are ready and I hope to get it out at the end of the year. "It won't be totally Jazz. I think it would be more me. More folk. I think."

A singer, a songwriter, a lyricist, a composer, a choir leader, a music arranger, a public speaker, a student, a teacher. It would quite exciting to see her progress in the next few years. - NST 09/05/2004