Blue Notes: Jeremy Monteiro's jazz divas

For most jazz musicians, one diva at a time is plenty to cope with. Issues of temperament can arise.

Not so for pianist Jeremy Monteiro, a singer himself, who has developed the fine art of accompanying jazz vocalists to a high level.

This coming Saturday and Sunday at Grappa's Cellar, he and his trio play the two Hong Kong dates of their Asian tour - which also takes in Jakarta, Singapore, Taipei and Bangkok - with no fewer than three divas.

"I love to play with singers who use their voice as another instrument, like a great tenor saxophonist or trumpeter, and who know how to involve the whole band in creating something greater than the sum of their individual parts," he explains.

"I call them 'musicians' singers' and they are as exciting to play with as any great solo instrumentalist. While at different places in their careers, all of the singers I have invited to join me and my trio on this tour are true artists and musicians who can swing their buns off and know how to engage with and energise an audience."

The featured vocalists come from three different countries and continents. Melissa Tham is from Singapore, Eileina D'Ennis from Britain, and Nancy Kelly from the United States.

New York-based Kelly is the best known of the three. Her 1988 debut CD, Live Jazz, hit No11 on the Billboard jazz chart, and she has twice been named best female jazz vocalist in the annual Down Beat readers' poll.