The sound of a saxophone rose from the historic Octagonal House at Ly Thai To Flower Garden in Hanoi, mingling with the footsteps of passers-by and the sounds of the city. The weekend music programme turned the familiar public space into an open-air stage where Jazz could meet audiences in a more accessible and spontaneous setting.

Rather than requiring people to enter a concert hall or have prior knowledge of the genre, the programme allowed audiences to encounter Jazz as part of an ordinary afternoon by Hoan Kiem Lake. Some came specifically for the music, others stopped to listen to a familiar melody, while passers-by could simply pause and enjoy the performance.

Bringing the world of Jazz closer to everyday audiences

The programme opened with Hanoi – Faith and Hope by composer Phan Nhan before moving into a diverse selection of Jazz works. Bruno Martino's lyrical Estate introduced a gentle Italian touch, followed by the lively rhythms of Herbie Hancock's Watermelon Man, bringing the audience into the distinctive sound of American Jazz.

The musical journey continued with the rich Bossa Nova tradition of Brazil. Works by Antonio Carlos Jobim, including No More Blues, Desafinado and The Girl from Ipanema, filled the open space around the lake with a different musical colour.

The repertoire also included On the Sunny Side of the Street by Jimmy McHugh, In the Mood by Joe Garland, For Sentimental Reasons by William Best and I Get a Kick Out of You by Cole Porter.

The variety of styles gave audiences an opportunity to move naturally between different musical traditions. Instead of presenting Jazz as a specialised genre for a limited audience, the programme placed it in an open public setting where people could listen, discover and respond to the music at their own pace.

That accessibility is particularly significant for a genre whose improvisational language can sometimes appear distant to audiences unfamiliar with it. In an informal setting, however, the music could be experienced first through its rhythm, melody and atmosphere, without requiring prior knowledge of Jazz.

Jazz gives familiar Hanoi melodies a fresh voice

The programme also brought Jazz closer to audiences through music they already knew. The performances of Meritorious Artist Quyen Van Minh, musicians from Binh Minh Jazz Club and singers Thuy Bui and Minh Thu gave familiar Hanoi songs new arrangements and textures.

Jazz’s improvisational character created room for the melodies to breathe differently. The familiar songs retained their nostalgic quality but acquired a more contemporary and spontaneous character, offering listeners another way to connect with music associated with the capital.

Among the Vietnamese works were Hanoi in the Season Without Rain by composer Truong Quy Hai and My Dear, Hanoi by composer Phu Quang. Placed alongside works by Bruno Martino, Antônio Carlos Jobim, Herbie Hancock and Cole Porter, the songs created a musical dialogue between Hanoi's memories and international Jazz traditions.

This meeting of familiar and unfamiliar sounds was central to the programme's appeal. International Jazz opened a window to musical cultures beyond Vietnam, while the Hanoi songs provided an emotional point of connection for local audiences.

The experience showed that bringing Jazz closer to the public does not necessarily mean simplifying the music. It can also mean creating more opportunities for people to encounter the genre, allowing them to approach it through familiar melodies, open spaces and informal cultural experiences.

The programme closed with the lively Thang Long Dance, leaving behind a sense of movement and connection between music, the city and its people.

More broadly, the afternoon demonstrated how cultural activities in public spaces can make artistic experiences more accessible and bring different forms of music into everyday urban life. A concert does not always have to begin with an audience entering a concert hall; sometimes it can begin with a passer-by stopping to listen.

This approach is also in line with Hanoi's broader cultural development agenda. The city’s Action Programme No. 08-CTr/TU, issued to implement Politburo Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW on the development of Vietnamese culture, places greater emphasis on bringing culture into people’s lives, encouraging creativity and expanding public participation in cultural activities.

In this context, an open-air Jazz programme may be a modest cultural activity, but it reflects a wider ambition to make culture more accessible and create more opportunities for the public to engage with cultural life.