The list isn't that long, but each of these guys has done a lot for the blues scene in Singapore (the longest of long-shot causes). Some of them, like Siva Choy and Jimmy Appudurai-Chua, have been around the local music scene since the early 1960s. The rest are at least a half or a full generation younger, catching on to blues in the late '80s and early '90s. If there were such thing as a Singaporean "All-Star Blues Band," then these would be the main nominees.

The best and worst part of Singapura blue is its smallness -- the ties do get incestuously tangled. But occasionally a few of these "Big Towkay Men" will weave together a triumphant jam onstage like all has been forgiven. If you manage to witness that, you might want to pack your bags and hit the road since it's better to leave on a high note.