Jennifer Palor takes her singing seriously. She first arrived in Hong Kong in 1997, landing a yearlong gig at the Grand Hyatt’s Champagne Bar. Since returning to Hong Kong in 2000, she’s been a fixture in the local jazz scene. Palor performs every Wednesday to Saturday, 7.30pm- 11.30pm, at Café Deco on The Peak. During her nights off, you can find her hanging out at the likes of Gecko and Peel Fresco.

What were you doing from 1998-2000?
I was actually being trained as a flight attendant in the Philippines. But I didn’t go through with it – I’d rather sing. When I came back to Hong Kong in 2000, I sang at the Cyrano in Island Shangri-La.

Tell me about your band at Café Deco.
I work with an all-Filipino band. The bandleader and saxophonist is Mike Inot, he’s been there for 13 years and is a great guy to work with. Our repertoire is mainly easy-listening and standard jazz. We carry a variety of tunes so people don’t get bored.

You also have a band called Child of the Urban Son?
It’s my band with Dan LaVelle on guitar, Roel Garcia on keyboards, Rickard Malmsten on bass, and Anthony Fernandes on drums. Actually, it’s not all originals. Most are standards rearranged by Dan and some are Dan’s own compositions. The CD, tentatively named Jeneration, should be out this year. This album is all about contemporary jazz.

What’s the meaning of Jeneration?
Well, it means we’re the new generation and my name is Jen... self-explanatory.

What’s your most memorable performance?
Definitely the 2007 Foreign Correspondents Club Jazz Festival, [playing] with Child of the Urban Son. We just played the songs from our CD, and played with all [our] heart and soul. First, there was nobody in the room. Then I closed my eyes and sang the songs. When I opened my eyes, the room was packed with people – and they didn’t want to leave.

Do you think Hong Kong has a cultivated jazz audience?
Jazz is an acquired taste. In Hong Kong, not a lot of people have jazz appreciation skills, except for some musicians. On the other hand, it’s an important thing to connect with the audience – it’s like telling a story. For example, Dan wrote a song called Boracay – it refers to a white sand beach in the Philippines. Dan loved the place so much and was inspired to write a song about it. When we played that song at the FCC Festival, people connected with it.

Do you consider yourself a jazz singer?
I’m just a singer. In fact, I only learned how to sing jazz when I first came to Hong Kong. I don’t like to put a label on myself. My real idol is Stevie Wonder.

Who are some of your favourite jazz singers?
Rachelle Ferrell, Ledici Young, Dianne Reeves, Al Jarreau, Louis Armstrong, and Jamie Cullum.

Jamie Cullum? Why?
I love him. He looks like a midget, but he’s very talented. I like his energy and his ideas on how he approaches a song.

Henry Chung is one of Hong Kong’s leading bluesmen players.