World famous guitarist from Sibu credits Borneo music for his versatility, style
SIBU: Sibu born guitarist Andrew Cheng, 29, who is now based in New York, United States of America, is enjoying a successful career – having worked with Grammy nominees and going on world tours.
“Growing up to the sounds of the Borneo sape has allowed me to infuse it into my identity and it gave me a unique edge, so be proud of where you are from,” he said.
According to him, one thing he learned about creating success in any endeavour, especially in music is to not be afraid to work hard in pursuing a dream.
His success has made Sibu proud, but he pointed out that he had to endure a tough journey as there were times he had to go without pay in order to further refine his skills.
He said his decision to pursue a music career in New York was based on the fact that the city is known for its variety of music genres and opportunities for one to flourish – provided one is willing to work hard for it.
The elder of two siblings, Cheng has been a music lover since young.
He started playing the guitar since he was 14 years old.
After completing his Form 5 education in 2011 at SMK Methodist, he decided that he would pursue a career as a musician.
“I have always felt a powerful emotional connection to music and nothing moved me more than jazz music,” he told The Borneo Post in a recent interview.
He completed his foundation study in 2012 at International College of Music (ICOM) in Kuala Lumpur before pursuing his Bachelor of Music with a Major in Performance at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts.
He is the first person from Sibu to attend the prestigious Berklee College of Music, whose alumni include renowned singers and songwriters like John Mayer, Wang Lee Hom, PSY and Charlie Puth.
He moved to New York after graduating.
“I chose New York City (NYC) because of the high level of jazz music found in NYC. New York is also a place that is very conducive to new, creative sounds, allowing me to bring together my interests and upbringing into the mix – from complex Indian music to rich Sarawak sape-style melodies.
“It was quite tough at first, I would take every opportunity to work, even without pay. I remember going out to different jam sessions to meet musicians at some small jazz bars.
“Eventually some of them hired me for regular work. Not all of it was unpaid of course, so I could still get by, but there were a lot of unpaid work done in order for me to refine my skills while earning just enough to get by,” said Cheng.
Eventually people recognised his unique skill-set, he added.
He started off his prolific music career with a Malaysia tour in 2017 as the lead guitarist to a US based jazz fusion band, Fluorescent Collective, at the Borneo Jazz Festival.
Then in 2018, he met awardwinning German pianist and singer Julian Moreen.
“It was when I started working with Julian that we started to get more bookings for international tours,” he said.
They have toured and performed all over the world, including Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Germany and Switzerland.
Cheng has also performed at distinguished festivals such as Taichung Jazz Festival in 2019 where he played to a crowd of 50,000 people, and Jazz Open Stuttgart in 2022 where he shared the main stage with Jorja Smith, Celeste and Grammy winner Suzanne Vega.
Moreen credits Cheng for his ever-evolving music, citing his unique skill of blending complex jazz improvisation with a good sense of indie music.
Their upcoming album, ‘The Mark’ is set to be released early 2023.
Cheng is also lead guitarist to Grammy nominated Indian violinist and singer RINI’s band.
In 2021, they performed at the John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts in Washington DC, headlining the Indian music festival ‘Raga at the REACH’.
They have also performed at the Brooklyn Bowl, sharing the stage with artists such as Kanye West, Stevie Nicks and Snoop Dogg.
He was also involved in RINI’s music video project Blue Carpet Sessions, which has been featured on Rolling Stone India.
Cheng’s accomplishments in modern Indian music have led him to be hired by Annette Philip, the Grammy nominated artistic director of the Berklee Indian Ensemble, to perform.
Apart from that, he has also been making waves in the US Chinese music scene with his skill-set that allows him to take on the role of musical director and guitarist at the same time.
He is currently preparing to record his upcoming album alongside Grammy-nominated saxophonist Antonio Hart while planning an India tour in March 2023 with RINI’s band and the award-winning Indian vocalist Shakthisree Gopalan.
When asked about how he juggles different projects with different music genres, the musician say that one must truly enjoy their work and that there is no substitute for the grind.
He also said that he has always been inspired by his teacher Mike Moreno who blends different styles and genre together exquisitely.
“Do not be afraid to explore different styles, and to be bad at them first. One thing I learned when I went abroad is to embrace the roots,” he said.
Growing up to the sounds of the Borneo sape has allowed me to infuse it into my identity and it gave me a unique edge, so be proud of where you are from.
Andrew Chen