Eman Lam and Ellen Joyce Loo – as at17, ranked number four in Time Out’s recent top 20 musicians list – created a genre they call ‘folktronica’. The two met each other at a singing competition in 2000 and were snapped up by Anthony Wong and signed to his production company, People Mountain People Sea. Wong gave them the name “at17” directly from the well-known Janis Ian song. After their successful Over the Rainbow EP in 2008, the girls make their first attempt at jazz in a special show with septuagenarian diva Rebecca Pan in a groundbreaking concert, Jazz Up For the Party, from December 4-6.

First, congratulations on the Over The Rainbow EP. Some of my friends told me they were so moved by song they found tears in their eyes.

Loo: Wow! I can’t believe it. Over the Rainbow was written by Harry Ng, a song that he wrote eight years ago, the year we entered the music industry. It became our theme song for our EPs. We were honoured to have Mr Chow Yiu-fai writing lyrics for the song. The song is really about how, as city people, we can in a utopian world like Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz, where there are no troubles and worries. Our song is in search of hope, especially since we recorded it two days after the Sichuan earthquake – so we were quite emotional and conflicted during the recording session.

Lam: The lyrics say it all. The sky can’t be acquired all of a sudden. It has to do with experience and you need to have a positive attitude. The more you put it in your pocket over the years, the more you will get the jewel.

Ellen, you told me your guitar teacher is the famous jazz musician Tommy Ho. How would you describe your relationship with Tommy?

Lam: Tommy is my mentor. I started taking lessons periodically with Tommy when I was 12. Our relationship is like father and daughter. His guitar skills are irreplaceable in Hong Kong. The most important thing I learned from him was his emotions, especially when he was playing jazz licks. One time I was playing My Funny Valentine one-on-one with him in the studio, I saw tears in his eyes. He was the first to introduce the emotions to me.

What was your first exposure to jazz music?

Lam: I guess my older brother [Chet Lam] had always listened to jazz music, and he introduced the genre to me at a young age. When I was 17, I was on a speeding minibus trying to get home. While the bus was dashing on the highway, I was at inner peace listening to Ella Fitzgerald singing Misty. That was the first time I felt I was drunk when in fact I was sober. At that time, I thought I could die right then and there and have no regrets. Jazz is the kind of music that will make you directly happy and you don’t want it to stop.

Loo: However, many of our peers don’t encourage us to sing jazz because they think we’re too young. One must be mature enough to sing jazz, they say. This all changed when we met Rebecca Pan.

What’s the difference between Rebecca’s jazz singing and yours?

Lam: For example, when Rebecca sings September Song, she completely understands the song as she has lived life to the fullest. She can project the feeling as if she was saying to a lover, “I can be with you for the rest of my life”. In fact, that is the relationship between her and her audience. Her audience can find hope and true happiness in her interpretation of the song. She understands what love is.

Loo: Jazz singing is tough. Like Nina Simone’s Strange Fruit, there is a political message underneath the lyrics. For us, it’s really not our strength to deliver that message, because we haven’t had enough life experience and we have never experienced racial discrimination. One thing we’re capable of is to use jazz to express love. I believe we have all fallen in love before and everybody has a unique story. Therefore, sometimes those who can’t sing may deliver jazz vocals the best, like Chet Baker. He used his vocals like an instrument. I always find the human vocals are the hardest instrument to touch people’s hearts.

Tell us about Jazz Up for the Party concert.

Loo: It came from Sister Pan’s idea back in June. We have been great friends for a long time. We always go visit her and have meals with her. We always knew she wanted to have a show in 2008, but we never thought the project would involve us. One day in June, she suddenly said to us, “I want you girls to be on the project. I don’t mean as guests. I mean as a co-billing.” We were dumbfounded and happy. When you get to know Rebecca, you know she has great determination and she is serious about every move. Her wish for this concert is to draw a younger audience. She always says, “Hong Kong is not only about pop. There’s also jazz and Latin for young people to enjoy. All music can co-exist.” At 77 years old, Rebecca still remains a pioneer in the Hong Kong music scene, always trying new things.

Lam: She has taught me how to behave properly as a person. Like in a Harry Potter movie, if we were Hogwarts students, then she’d be Professor Dumbledore. She’s just that person who is never stingy in giving her opinions. Look at her! She has lived a beautiful life, and is still living it. She has created fruits of her own. She’s a piece of art! She has also taught me the ultimate trick about performing on stage – to have a positive attitude. She would always compliment us first before giving her criticism. That is effective!

Loo: The show is divided into two parts. The first part is old jazz standards. We will perform some Cole Porter, some Sinatra, etc. Rebecca and we will take turns singing the songs. There will be an intermission. Afterwards, the second part showcases some Latin tunes like Quizas, Quizas, Quizas. This part will feature a lot of interaction between Rebecca and us. And there will be many special guests on the second set, whose names remain confidential at this point. We’re lucky to have Joey Villanueva as our bandleader.

Lam: We are just honoured to be on the same stage as a living Hong Kong legend. Rebecca’s a living and walking music encyclopedia and museum. We’ll treasure every moment with her on stage.

Henry Chung

At17 play with Rebecca Pan at the APA, December 4-6. Their Over the Rainbow series of EPs is on sale now.