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The Bamboo Bar — Bangkok’s first and most iconic jazz bar — is a landmark that personifies the passion, seductive elegance, and spirit of both the Mandarin Oriental Hotel and Bangkok's rich history. From its modest start in 1953, The Bamboo Bar has evolved into a celebrated Bangkok institution, drawing jazz enthusiasts from around the world. This iconic spot retains its sensual 1950s ambience, though it is perpetually adapting and evolving with the times.

Unbeknownst to many in the Canadian community here in Thailand, the Bamboo Bar has recently become a pipeline for Canadian jazz singers. The latest is Faith Amour (stage and given name), an award-winning recording artist and songwriter. She was preceded by Alana Bridgewater, Kate Bowen and Jewelle McKenzie – all Canadians. Literally, a year of Canadians performing at the Bamboo Bar. Faith performs three sets every night, starting at 9pm, except for Sunday – her one night off.

Faith gets her musical ability from her parents: her mother, Marva, a woman of faith, did much of her singing touring British Guyana before she immigrated to Canada. Her father is also a musician, a piano player and educator. Faith’s family first settled in Toronto’s West End, and then North York, before moving to Scarborough, which is where Faith calls home today.

It’s as though Faith has been singing her whole life, even in kindergarten. She was so skilled at such a young age that she was placed in a community choir at age six, even performing solos at her church – at age six. Her mother also had the foresight to put her in a French immersion program, which is the foundation of her love for, and facility for languages.

Faith’s first degree is a BA in psychology from Wilfrid Laurier University. Then began a second degree as a classical voice major with an operatic lens while studying at Roberts Wesleyan University in Rochester, New York, the first educational institution established for Free Methodists in North America. Over time, she switched to music education as the practicality of making a living in the music industry hit home. One of her professors at Roberts Wesleyan had her perform at a small Italian restaurant in town, which outside of weddings and the church choir, was really her first taste of performing jazz live.

Faith learned you could make a living in music later in life, but she knew the reality of struggling musicians; she’d met enough of them, especially struggling solo artists. So early on, she decided she would always have another career outside of the arts to rely on. Mixing a regular job with her performing career has also helped to keep her grounded.

After graduating from Roberts Wesleyan, Faith taught music at two primary schools in Santa Fe, New Mexico, for four years. That’s where she started her jazz music career. She started going to jams and other performances in the evenings, but things really took off when she began creating opportunities for other musicians. . She he eventually hired her own band, calling it the Faith Amour Quartet. They started performing and eventually she recorded her first album, Bright Eyes, a multi-lingual (English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian) debut album, which received recognition at the New Mexico Music Awards, where it won awards for Best Jazz CD and Best Jazz Vocal for the original song "Ou-es-tu?".

Over time, she became burnt out from full-time teaching in the daytime (writing lesson plans, directing afterschool choirs, grading and communicating with parents) and performing at night. She knew she needed to make a change… so she left her life in America and took a working holiday in Paris. During those four months, she explored where to take her life and music next, as she navigated the realities of identity, purpose, and belonging, living in a land where the language is not your own. “As much as I loved Paris – it will always hold a special place in my heart – it will not be where I rest my head.” She wanted to launch her career in her native language and native land, with the freedom to be fully herself in all its facets and be able to create from the place she first called home - and so she returned to Canada. She found ways to incorporate education and music in her daily life that didn’t demand all of her time, but also kept her solvent and active in the Canadian jazz music scene.

But wait, where did the interest in jazz come from? After studying classical voice and piano, organ and composition, Faith found that her innate spontaneity, creativity, and outside-the-box nature drew her straight to jazz.

Faith has performed across North America, Europe, Asia and South America, opening for Greg Abate, as well as performing with sopranos Kathleen Battle and Jessye Norman as a member of the Nathaniel Dett Chorale. She’s also shared the stage with renowned musicians such as Mario Canonge, and Canada’s own Rich Brown, Dave Restivo, and Robi Botos as well as Ranee Lee and Joe Sealy during the event "First Ladies of Jazz."

She has participated in various festivals, including the TD Niagara Jazz Festival series and the AWA Festival. She also performed at Blue ote Beijing and Shanghai. She has sung in the presence of the President and First Lady of Guyana, and former Governor-General Adrienne Clarkson.

In 2017, she held a series of concerts honoring the 100th anniversary of Ella Fitzgerald’s birth across Canada and the United States. She is in demand as a composer, conductor and as a featured vocalist for clubs and theatres, jazz orchestras, corporate and private events. She’s been a Raelette for a travelling Ray Charles tribute, and her Toronto theatre debut was in “The Reality of the Impossible Dream”.

Faith is known for her interpretations of jazz standards in tribute to jazz divas such as Nina Simone, and Anita O’Day. Her classic jazz performances celebrate traditional jazz, while her Kaleidoscope series explores contemporary jazz infused with global music influences, in the spirit of artists like Kurt Elling, Somi, and Gretchen Parlato.

Faith’s primary place to be soothed is through her faith in God. “God put something special in music to give it such amazing healing power.” If Faith wants to be revved up, she will listen to squeaky clean hip hop or an up-tempo gospel song; if she is feeling somewhat reflective a slow gospel song will do it for her.
Having sung in many churches growing up, she loves the acoustics of churches: she says the higher the ceilings, the better; the older the church, the better.
Before coming to the Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok, Faith spent eight months at the Grand Hyatt in Hong Kong. She was recommended to the Oriental by another singer through word of mouth. She knows her priority is to entertain the Bamboo Bar’s guests first. “I know where I am and why I am there,” she says. “It’s not a concert hall where people are paying top dollar to see me perform songs I have selected.” “It’s a chance for patrons to choose their experience - listen to the music and let it take you away, or enjoy the energy of a live jazz soundtrack while enjoying the company of friends - I am there to serve.”

How does she decide what to sing? There’s a list of universal jazz bar favorites that she draws upon, curated by years of experience and past requests. She also does her best to read the mood of the room by talking to guests, and approaching those who have shown a response to her music to see what they like to listen to.
As mentioned, Faith performs six nights a week, so “naps are important”. She abstains from dairy products, and doesn’t drink cold drinks a few hours before performing and stays away from spicy food too. One of her biggest dilemmas while she’s here is that she would love to be out exploring the city, but she needs to rest and be ready for her nightly performance.

Early influences include two girls in Faith’s god-family (Shireen & Diba Jones), who would sing in her church in Toronto, and she looked up to them. They would encourage her and bring her on stage to perform with them. Early instrumental classical influences included Tchaikovsky, Mozart and the Gaithers, a southern gospel group.

Classic jazz inspirations are the divas we know and love - Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan. Contemporary inspirations include: Emilie-Claire Barlow, a Juno-winning vocalist known for her extensive work in both French and English jazz; Laila Biali, a singer-pianist & also Juno Award winner; Jackie Richardson; and Kellylee Evans who has combined modern hip hop with jazz. She also pays homage to Genevieve "Gigi" Marentette, one of the original Canadian jazz singers in Hong Kong.
It’s not fair to say that Faith is just a jazz singer: she teaches, composes, conducts, and plays instruments as well. She feels the most vocal freedom singing classical music, “the way it reverberates your entire being is incomparable” - but she melts hearts singing jazz as Broadway World once said, “like molasses running down a hill in July”.

Future dreams? She’s hoping for a Juno nomination one day, but one of her biggest thrills is to be able to sing for an audience who knows her music and can sing the words - written from her heart - right along with her.

Faith will be performing at the Bamboo Bar until May 30; do yourself a favour and try and make time to see her perform (faithamourjazz.com).