Rudiger Klink and U Saw Apollo make music. Pic: Hein Latt Aung

A FAMILIAR figure has reappeared on Yangon’s smooth jazz scene: German saxophonist Rudiger Klink is back.

The Kandawgyi Palace Hotel hosted the sax player alongside Myanmar saxophonist U Saw Apollo, who also played piano and clarinet, on July 13. Rudiger will be here until the end of the month and will back in November.
This is the musician’s sixth visit to Yangon.

Quite the globetrotter, Rudiger has performed in Moscow, Vienna, Munich, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok and his hometown Berlin, which is also his favourite city. But he says his jet-setting life isn’t as glamorous as people might expect.

“Turbulence,” he says, referring not only to aerodynamics, but also to his hectic lifestyle.

At 53 Rudiger says all he wants right now is to stay still long enough to settle down and enjoy life as it comes.

It seems he’s over the musician lifestyle. He even claims that his favourite drink is water.

Does he mean vodka, the water of life?
“No,” he smiles. “Just water.”

This health conscious musician quit his vices years ago. He has also been a proud non-smoker for eight years.

Rudiger is a man of few words who allows the music to speak for itself.
His calm and soft-spoken manner complements the relaxing and velvety notes that he plays.

Smooth jazz, a genre that emphasises melody as opposed to improvisation, is influenced by R and B, pop and funk.

It’s not a coincidence that his style sometimes mirrors that of famous jazz musicians David Sanborn and Grover Washington — they are his idols. Both were distinguished icons cele-brated for their commercial success in radio-friendly smooth and pop jazz.

“This is a significant moment as it is rare that we see the collaboration of international and local jazz talent right here in Yangon,” said Ko Thitsar from the British Council who was enjoying the show with friends.

Jazz enthusiasts can join in the fun with U Saw Apollo every Friday night at Kandawgyi Palace Hotel’s lobby bar.

Next week: Watch out for a profile on U Saw Apollo's life and music.