Saigon Jazz Revival

Event Date: August 29, 2026 (6PM)

Experience a once-in-a-lifetime concert event celebrating Vietnamese American heritage starring Carol Kim and a talented ensemble from New Orleans! Step back in time with us! Saigon Jazz Revival features legendary Vietnamese singer Carol Kim with a talented jazz ensemble from New Orleans for a live performance.

This event kicks off the Vietnamese Association of Illinois 50-year anniversary celebration! HAI QUÊ, MỘT HỘI (Two homes, one VAI) honors those that carried this community forward and uplift those who will continue leading it into the future. This collaborative project brings together artists across oceans and generations to celebrate jazz and its influence on Vietnamese and Chicago culture. Rooted in the sounds and spirit of old Saigon and reimagined in New Orleans, this performance celebrates our diverse backgrounds, expansive homelands, and shared love of timeless songs. Starring Vietnam’s Queen of Soul, Carol Kim, this concert features musicians from Vietnam, Honduras, Cuba, Mexico, Japan, and New Orleans and will showcase original collaborations with various Vietnamese diasporic artists as well as dynamic re-creations of Vietnamese folk songs.

Saigon Jazz Revival is not just a moment of nostalgia; it is a living collaboration celebrating our Vietnamese American community past and present. Join us for a one-night only portal into the electric nightlife and emotional landscape of Old Saigon celebrating continuity, migration, cultural memory, and our collective joy.

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