words yvonne teh

Jazz vocalist Carol Kidd has lived at the top of the Asian charts but her upcoming concert will be a first for Hong Kong.

On February 13, 1999, a film named after a freshwater fish found only in the rivers of the Korean Peninsula’s De-Militarized Zone was released in cinemas in its native land. Shiri made more money at the South Korean box office than the previous champion, the American Titanic, it was in the advance guard of a Korean cinematic wave that made an impact on many foreign shores, and it helped propel its female star Kim Yun-jin to Hollywood (where she is currently a lead in the hit TV series Lost).

The film also made an old American folksong that Glaswegian singer Carol Kidd initially recorded in 1986 hugely popular throughout much of the Asian continent. That ethereal rendition of the wistful When I Dream from Kidd’s All My Tomorrows album stayed at No 1 on the South Korean charts for 14 weeks and now means, Kidd says, “Everywhere I go, I am called Shiri.”

She’s famous in Asia for a tender ballad, yet the smooth-voiced crooner says her music encompasses all genres – jazz, ballads, country, rock and soul: “I have an open mind when it comes to music, if a song is good, it’s good!” That may be a judgement call, but her credentials stretch back to when she started singing professionally at the age of 15. Before she rose to fame in Asia, she had already attracted the attention of luminaries like Frank Sinatra (who asked her to appear with him in concert at Glasgow’s Ibrox Stadium in 1990), jazz musician cum club owner Ronnie Scott, and Tony Bennett (who reportedly asked, following a live performance, “Where have you been? You should be world famous!”). And in another major career highlight she was awarded an MBE in 1998 by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth.

These days, Kidd says, “I work extensively abroad and really enjoy coming to Asia but I’ve also worked a great deal in the UK both touring and recording.” Still, she notes, “I suppose that my success in Asia is more obvious especially after Shiri and When I Dream and I can only be pleased about that.” She admits to “a love affair with Asia” since her first visit to China back in 1994 –“I’m taking every chance I get to go out and perform,” she says. “I’m glad to have this opportunity to play Hong Kong and I’m very excited about the concert in this beautiful venue.”

The venue is the HK City Hall’s Concert Hall and Kidd is performing as part of the Leisure & Cultural Services Department’s Jazz Up series. The show’s programme, she tells us, “will be made up of songs from my new album This Time The Dream’s On Me and songs I’ve recorded throughout my career.” She regards the musicians on her latest album as “the best in the business!” and has brought them to perform with her in Hong Kong. Yet, the singer’s aims for the concert sound very modest: “I just hope that I will be able to meet and introduce a few more people to my music…”

Although her December concert will mark her singing debut in the Fragrant Harbour, Kidd shares, “I was in Hong Kong about six years ago on a private business trip and I love Hong Kong – it’s so full of life!” She explains that her debut has been such a long time coming because “one has to be invited to play and I’m extremely happy to have been invited.” And so are we – at long last!

The Jazz Up: Carol Kidd concert will take place at the HK City Hall’s Concert Hall on Monday, December 3. Showtime is 8pm. Tickets are $400 to $150 from URBTIX, 2734 9009.