If there's a Singaporean icon of rock 'n' roll, it has to be Siva Choy. But if you're picturing Bruce Springsteen posing with a clenched fist and speaking Singlish, then you're way off (except for the Singlish). Siva tackles rock 'n' roll from the roots down, which makes him a dedicated bluesman, from his laying down a cool Bo Diddley beat to shouting out a convincing "Crow Jane." Blessed with a howling voice and a wily charisma (he moonlights as a one-man comedy show), Siva turns the average blues gig into a house party where people actually dance. The only problem? Nowadays Siva is based in Perth, Australia, and Singapore doesn't get to hear him sing the blues very often.

Whenever Siva does pass through town, he's sure to play an unannounced gig (usually Sunday or Monday night) at the Crazy Elephant with his backing band, Crossroads. Always on "jam standby" is a dutiful cadre of musicians that usually includes keyboardist K. Ravi, harp blower Kelvin Ng, and drummer Richard Khan. Singaporean blues jams aren't exactly known for their sense of social harmony, but when Siva runs the show, you will -- I promise -- witness even the meanest guitar-slinging SOB turn into a polite and generous dude. Have mercy.

Siva Choy has been paying his dues as an entertainer for the past thirty-five years. After stints with R&B bands The Checkmates and Unit 4 + 2 + 1 as a teenager in the mid-sixties, Siva worked his way through college by playing gigs at the American G.I. clubs in Singapore. To keep up with the requests, he was always digging deeper into blues, rock 'n' roll, and soul music with a hippie's abandon. (To this day he remains very partial to the work of Chuck Berry, Jimmy Reed, and Little Richard.)

Siva's comeback in the late eighties solidified his standing as the "Godfather of the local blues scene." Despite this reputation, he remains extremely generous during jam sessions -- which is exactly why his gigs attract the island's best musicians like an electric magnet. Lately, with his "Stand Up & Boogie" shows and the re-release of his legendary Why U So Like Dat? album, Siva has been injecting a fair amount of blues style into his comedy act; who knows exactly where this will lead to, but as long as it keeps him coming back to Singapore, it's got to be a good thing.