What to Expect

Aey the Ape w/Frank Hergott Trio

Aey the Ape returns to Smalls on May 3, joining the Frank Herrgott Trio for a night that brings together jazz, alternative influences, and reinterpretations of familiar songs.

The group features Frank Herrgott on piano 🎹, Shawn Kelley on drums 🥁, and Arnaud Francelet on bass 🎻 — three musicians whose backgrounds move between jazz, classical music, pop, and improvisation. Together with Aey’s distinctive voice, the night will move between intimate songs, open interaction, and unexpected turns.

🎤 Aey Kunjira – Vocals
Thai singer Kuljira Thongkong first became known to a national audience through The Voice Thailand Season 3, where she performed under the name “Aey the Voice.” Her version of “Piang Rak” by Silly Fools helped make her one of the standout singers of the season and placed her on Stamp Apiwat’s team.

🎹 Frank Herrgott – Piano

Frank Herrgott is a French composer, pianist, producer, and educator based in Bangkok. A founding member of Jazz, What?, he moves easily between jazz, classical music, pop, and electronics, creating music that is often cinematic, melodic, and harmonically rich.

🥁 Shawn Kelley – Drums

Shawn Kelley is an American drummer and educator based in Bangkok. He has spent more than two decades in Southeast Asia and is considered one of the region’s most versatile jazz drummers. A graduate of The City College of New York, he studied under Ron Carter, John Lewis, and Sonny Igoe.

🎻 Arnaud Francelet – Bass

Swiss bassist and composer Arnaud Francelet was born in Freiburg and began playing music at a young age, first joining his brother’s band at 9. By the age of 12, he was already recording in the studio and writing his own compositions. After studying at the Bass Institute of Technology in Los Angeles, Francelet built an international career as both an electric bassist and double bassist.