Closer by Paul Zetter

It’s been two years since Nguyễn Quí Đức left us, although in truth he never really did — he lives on in the memories and hearts of everyone who knew and loved him. Such was the measure of the man. After these two years of grieving and reflection, I felt ready to record a small collection of songs that were directly and indirectly inspired by him.

Closer was written around the time of the “flood of love” — the steady stream of friends who came to sit with Đức while he was in the hospital. During my short shifts, while others stayed all night or all day, I often sang him new songs. After all, each one still needed his approval! Nguyễn Bảo Long played saxophone at his funeral (another flood of love), so it feels only right that Long plays on this track. He’s as inspired — and inspiring — as ever.

All We Carry was written after Đức passed. It’s a quiet reflection on the people and things that stay with us, or leave us, as we move through life. It features one of Đức’s close friends, Dave Payne, on guitar — he always leaves a little poetry in his playing for us to savour. It also includes a new friend, country singer Joseph Belford, whose voice I’m sure Đức would have loved to hear.

Never Give Up On Love is a new song and features my absolute favourite singer, Hứa Thanh Tú. She sings it with such depth and emotion that I sometimes have to pinch myself to remember she’s singing one of my own songs.

Every Moment’s Touch is my newest song. When someone we love leaves us, we’re reminded to pay attention to love in the present — in all those everyday moments a couple shares.

I Wanna Go Home mentions Đức by name and takes a light-hearted bluesy look at finding yourself stuck at a party you want to leave.

Paul Zetter is an English singer, songwriter and musician based in Vietnam. His influences are broad, ranging from Robert Johnson, The Beatles, Jim Croce, Paul Simon, James Taylor and Kelly Joe Phelps to Bill Evans, John Coltrane, Art Pepper, Duke Jordan and Keith Jarrett. Paul plays with All That Mojo (also on Bandcamp) and other musicians in the jazz scene on bass. Paul is also a filmmaker.