Originally from Hong Kong, Grace Chung first began singing jazz more than ten years ago in Sydney Australia, where she grew up. Since then, she has led her own trios and performed with big bands in Sydney, Hong Kong, New York, Boston and Washington DC. After some years with her trio on the Sydney jazz scene, she started a residency at the Swing Jazz Club in Hong Kong, summer of 1997. This led to a series of shows at the Conrad Hotel, Hong Kong, winter 1997. Meanwhile, Grace started graduate school at MIT, and along with Tien-yi Lee, co-founded WhoSheBe , an all female jazz combo. WhoSheBe featured New England bassist Jane Wang and the now Tokyo sensation Akiko Iwase. During the years, WhoSheBe appeared frequently at venues in New England and New York including the Metronome, and the Living Room in NYC, Jazzmasters in Rhode Island, and Les Zygomates, Bob the Chef's, the Good Life, The Improv Asylum and the Elephant Walk in Boston, Massachusetts. In 1999, they recorded a live CD on Jazz with Eric in the Evening, New England's best-known jazz radio show. This was followed by a second CD, Bygones, released in 2001.
After Grace graduated with her PhD in Computer Science ( MIT), she moved to the Baltimore/Washington area and made her debut under Owlsong Productions with the Lewine-Kamman Xtet at Mr. Henry's, the venue where Roberta Flack once launched her career. This blossomed into a close collaboration with Washington's most talented jazz guitarist and composer, John Kamman. Grace and Armand Ntep, a rising jazz star from Camaroon, were lead vocalists in John Kamman's Evoluations series, a ground breaking contemporary piece melding jazz, African and classical influences. John and Grace's work culminated in the release of Liking You Liking Me, released in 2005. The album features the performances of some of Washington's most gifted classical, and jazz cats: Flaco Woods (percussion), Alan Lewine (bass), Marty Knepp (marimba and vibraphone), Phillipe Depontet (percussion), Jodi Beder (cello), and Blair Goins (tuba).
Since returning to her hometown in 2006, Grace's brand of bluesy jazz with hints of country has gathered a substantial following with Sydney's live music audience. She has established herself as one of the most popular acts to have appeared at Bar Me the historic jazz venue of Sydney. Her appearances there have repeatedly attracted sold out crowds. Other engagements have included appearances at the Basement with Steve Morrison and at the Vanguard with King Curly.
Grace's music has been influenced by numerous singers and songwriters from the jazz, blues and country traditions. These include Sheila Jordan, Carmen McCrae, Shirley Horn, Betty Carter, Tom Waits, Julie London, Bonnie Rait, Patsy Cline, Blossom Dearie, Sarah Vaughan, Anita O'day, Shirley Bassey, Eddie Jefferson, Leonard Cohen, Billie Holiday and Ute Lemper. She also loves to listen to Cassandra Wilson, Celia Cruz, Nat King Cole and Marissa Monte.
