The Borneo Jazz Festival is making a physical comeback this June after being held only virtually the past year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This is one of the longest running Jazz festivals in the region, and the 17th edition will take place from June 24th to 26th at Coco Cabana in Marina Bay, Miri, Sarawak, while online viewers can livestream performances from their homes via an online platform. Themed “Jazz in The Jungle”, this year’s Borneo Jazz festival will be held in a hybrid format to reach out to the greater jazz-loving community worldwide. The physical concert will take place at Coco Cabana, Miri while viewers will also be able to livestream one-hour blocks of their performances from home. Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said this time, the festival will be a virtual and physical hybrid event. He added that the hybrid concert was the best way to go this year based on the positive response received from the Borneo Jazz Virtual Experience last year. The Borneo Jazz Virtual Experience 2021 three-day journey garnered 244,637 online viewers from 43 countries. With musical content curated by No Black Tie Presents, Malaysia’s foremost jazz promoter, music lovers can expect a spectacular mix of jazz and hip-hop, tribal vibes, world beats and electro-jazz grooves during the 17th edition of the Borneo Jazz Festival. Watch out for an eclectic mix of jazz musicians, rappers and DJs from USA, Hungary, Singapore, France, Malaysia and more lighting up the Borneo Jazz stage to celebrate cultural diversity, tradition and innovation. Sarawak Arts Council’s band Sarawak Symphony Orchestra (SONS) will also be taking to the Borneo Jazz stage for the first time in a continued collaboration with Sarawak Tourism Board, with the aim to lift Sarawak’s local music scene. At the ceremony, Abdul Karim also announced Malaysia Airlines (MAS) as the official airline for the event. This was followed by the unveiling of Sarawak Tourism Board’s ‘More to Discover’ livery on three MASwings ATR 72-500 aircraft as part of the one-year collaboration with the Sarawak Tourism Board. Abdul Karim (third right) and other guests give their thumbs-up after unveiling the ‘Sarawak More to Discover’ livery on one of MASwings’ ATR 72-500 aircraft. As the official airline partner for Borneo Jazz Festival, Malaysia Airlines and supported by its sister company Firefly, will offer attractive deals of up to 15 per cent discount on flights from Peninsular Malaysia, London, Australia and some ASEAN destinations to cities in Sarawak. Firefly will fly passengers from Penang to Kuching via its jet operations. Jazz music lovers can start purchasing tickets for the Borneo Jazz Festival starting April 22 from the website jazzborneo.com . For the public category, a one-day pass is priced at RM128 per ticket, two-day pass is RM228 and a three-day pass is RM338. As for students and senior citizens, one-day pass is priced at RM88, two-day pass is RM128 and three-day pass is RM188. For those who want to enjoy the event virtually, tickets are priced at RM25 per one-hour block.

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Now into its 6th year, the Kuala Lumpur International Jazz Festival 2017, will showcase a stellar line up of international and local artists performing a wide genre of Jazz music from 14th -17th September 2017 at multiple venues. Beginning on 14th September at the French restaurant, at Rendez-Vous, Bangsar, the main festival with 11 performances will be held at the Experimental theatre, University Malaya on 15th & 16th September 2017. The closing day on 17th September features two  performances at the newly opened Commune, Sunway Velocity Mall. The Kuala Lumpur International Jazz  Festival is The BrandLaureate Country Branding Award  winner 2011-2012 and over the years, it has built a good standing among the  jazz fraternity for providing top  notch  international acts  from all over the world. Having presented the likes of NEA Jazz Master, Ahmad Jamal from New York, and Grammy winners and nominees such as David Sanborn, Incognito, Lee Ritenour, John Beasley, Hiromi, Simon Philips, Anthony Jackson, Ernie Watts, Keiko Matsui, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Lao Tizer, Chieli Minucci and numerous others from New York, Los Angeles, South Africa, Europe, UK, Japan, Australia and ASEAN, this year promises another line up of stellar artists. Head lining the festival this year is Tenor Man, Eric Wyatt from Brooklyn, New York City. Eric is the God son of the legendary Sonny Rollins and is expected to carry Sonny’s legacy to the next generation of Jazz lovers. He  has been recording and traveling the world as both leader and sideman and continues to build an impressive, solid resume. Having released five albums,  the latest being “Look to the  Sky”, Eric has a unique sound that, while straddling between the sounds of John Coltrane, Johnny Griffin, Frank Foster and Sonny Rollins, overall it transcends  into a high energy and heavy driven sounds for a jazz quartet. Supported by Benito Gonzales on piano, Christy Smith on Acoustic Bass and up coming youngster David Hodek on Drums. Eric is scheduled to perform two shows at the festival. On 15th September ( Friday ) he will play songs from his latest album “Look to the  Sky”, and on 16th September ( Saturday ), he pays a tribute to the music of Sonny Rollins. Local artists performing at the festival include Isabella Soliano, Jordan Rivers, Penang Philharmonic Jazz Big Band, Az  Samad and many others. Joining  them will be  the Robert MR Quartet from Jakarta, Akihito Fuse on seven string guitar,  Dodong Jumawan, Manila and Terrapoj Plitakul Quartet from Bangkok, Thailand. A surprise inclusion at the festival is Nattakit Thanapoonsawad from Bangkok, a highly talented youngster on tenor sax, performing the sounds of Michael Brecker on all four days during the festival Malaysian singer Atilia Haron, daughter of  the evergreen Salamiah Hassan will perform on the 16th September 2017. She has just released her third album entitled No3. Tickets can be bought at www.ticketpro.com.my or by WhatsApp to 017 4827759. Please log on to Kuala Lumpur International Jazz Festival 2017 website at www.klinternationaljazz.com for a full list of the artist line up, details of the program and for ticketing or email to ian@asiaworldevents.com or rodin@klinternationaljazz.com for further information.

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Come and join the annual Penang Island Jazz Festival, celebrating live jazz and percussions music from local and international artistes under one roof. Artistes from jazz and other genre bands will use this as platform to promote their talents. The seed of an idea of a jazz festival on an island was planted and conceptualized in 1996 and 8 years later was realized with the birth of the 1st Penang Island Jazz Festival in 2004. The Penang Island Jazz festival has grown through the years and established itself to be one of the more highly anticipated and important music festivals within the region. Penang Island Jazz Festival could, of course, exist strictly as an event of appealing live performances from a variety of artists, but by carefully stretching the ears of its fan base, it’s doing more. With the introduction of Creative Malaysia and Island Jazz Forum, Penang Island Jazz Festival is positioning itself as a more socially conscious festival, one that sees itself as a means to educate and promote at the all-important grass roots level. And that’s exactly as it should be. An independent festival fully owned and organized by The Capricorn Connection, the festival is a 2 day / 1 stage (Jazz By The Beach Stage)event with a number of workshops and a mini Jazz Gallery. With the intention of creating a festival experience, many other supporting activities such as Fringe Stages, “Jazz With A Heart” Charity, Island Jazz Forum, Community Drum Circle, After Hours Jazz Jam and others have been added on in subsequent years. Held annually on the beautiful island of Penang, the festival – which has been built on a “foundation of friendship” through the support of family and friends – has through the years seen many local and foreign acts from USA, UK, Australia, South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Germany, Norway, Netherlands, Sweden, Brazil, Hungary, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, etc. The festival is supported by the British Council, the Goethe-Institut Malaysia and the Danish Embassy. Penang Island Jazz Festival 2016 will be held at Batu Ferringhi, December 1st – 4th. http://www.penangjazz.com https://www.facebook.com/PenangIslandJazzFestival

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The big metropolitan city of Kuala Lumpur is set to be glittering and go swinging and bopping high when the KL International Jazz & Arts Festival returns for the 4th year running this September. The festival started in 2012 and is now a huge show with over 30 acts from all over the world that will jazz blast and turn KL into the jazz hub for 4 long days of great music! This jazz carnival is a world class jazz festival where contemporary jazz, smooth jazz, straight ahead jazz, classic jazz, jazz – rock, r&b, swing, funk, classic rock and blues converge. Whether you’re a fan of the drums, guitar, saxophone or piano, this year’s festival promises to have something for everyone, complete with workshops and masterclasses on top of just live performances. The KL International Jazz & Arts Festival not only presents performances by acclaimed international jazz stars, namely the tops of the game, but also introduces the best local headline talents and some potential great artists. The line-up includes acts from Eric Wyatt, Tizer Quartet, Bastian Stein and more, joined by the John Coltrane All Star Band, the UiTM Jazz Ensemble as well as the UM Jazz Ensemble. The 30 bands will perform in 4 different stages, resting their case one after another, whether it is sweet, soft or wild melodies, with original compositions and hybrids being played, as well as re-arranged well-known jazz repertoires. This is an elegant jazz-vaganza that includes music, food and fun as there will be food stalls and booths selling a  variety of  food and non-alcoholic drinks, and a festival village that will add to the general festivity mood. The dress code is casual smart, and some warm clothing is advised since the Main Hall, the Dewan Tunku, can be cold at night. The KL International Jazz & Arts Festival runs from 10 to 13 September 2015 at the Universiti Malaya Kuala Lumpur. Tickets can be purchased online at http://www.ticketpro.com.my/jnp/concert/1583489-KLJAZZ-International-Jazz-Festival.html For more information on show times, log on to the official website http://www.klinternationaljazz.com

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Jazz Market by the Sea is an annual community-based event comprising of colorful music combined with market feel environment and cultural activities. Proud to be Indonesian, the organizer’s objective is to celebrate Indonesia’s Heritage and to promote growing Indonesian talents with a special emphasis on creative collaborations and improvisations of traditional Indonesian and jazzy music. Inspired by the traditional Balinese market, pasar seni, the Jazz Market by the Sea highlights where the action of community centers around. It is in this hustle and bustle where people can have insight into real culture. Around 80 unique stalls sell items that range from food and beverage, to fashion, art and crafts. THE PASSION The festival aim is to collaborate with likeminded people and to bring communities together under a shared passion. The festival themes are: Music : Cultural Diversity & Talent Regeneration Trade : Indonesian Products (SMEs) Natural Heritage : Biodiversity & Nature  THE APPROACH In order to make an impact, the organizers believe that all activities must be of the following nature: Engaging : Interesting and unique Educating : Informative Enriching : Value adding and impacting VISION The most awaited annual Indonesian festival in the region, where families can interact and intermingle with and through music, art, education and social activities. MISSION – To promote & give platform for Indonesian talents and creativity – To engage, enrich & educate our guests through Jazz Market by The Sea. – To serve the community (CSR). VALUES – Vibrant : Inject life into everything with enthusiasm and positivism. – Innovative : Jazz Market is a trend setter not a follower of other event festivals in Indonesia. – Virtuous : Things done with transparency and in honesty. – Reliable : Full responsibility taken, and walk the talk… – Empathy Service : Respecting cultures and social expressions of others. Jazz Market by the Sea will take place on Friday, 14th, Saturday, 15th and Sunday, 16th August 2015 from 2pm until 11pm. Check the line-up on http://www.jazz-market.com

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The quartet that has performed tonight under the portico of the ex Cultural Center in Piazza Zanti, Cavriago (Reggio Emilia), does not need an introduction. Gaia Cuatro are a fusion between two world so far yet so musically near. A risky musical meeting/clash between Argentina and Japan on the frontier of a Jazz light, fresh and captivating, as well as rhythmic and melodic. A fertile bond between tango and Jazz. These four musicians take the art of improvisation to a whole new and unpredictable level. When two of the best musicians and great symbols of the Japanese Jazz scene – violinist Aska Kaneko and percussionist Tomohiro Yahiro – and two of the best representatives of the Argentinian colony here in Europe – bass player Carlos ‘El Tero’ Buschini and pianist Gerardo Di Giusto, merge, the subtlety of Japanese traditions merges with the creativity and the character of Argentinian music, providing the raw materials for this exceptional quartet. The concert in Cavriago has been original and captivating, with plenty of original tunes that with their surprising elegance made us feel close to them. Gaia Cuatro’s tunes, with their interwoven instrumental conversations, have a charged natural feeling, and while they are being played, you have the sensation that a new style of music is being shaped. Once again, Jazz proves to be the ideal instrument for people at time so different between them, who wish to exchange musical idea in a free and creative language. GAIA CUATRO LINE UP Japanese Aska Kaneko is a violinist, a composer and a singer. Aska has often alternated his career as music director with projects like Aska String Project, shaped towards a musical experiment between her country and Europe. A breathtaking violinist, a true star in her native Japan, Aska is able to take us to a new world made of her mind-blowing virtuosity and of a voice that makes you shiver. Japanese percussionist Tomohiro Yahiro, always in perfect harmony with Aska Kaneko, has cooperated with the most important jazz musicians of Japan, and belongs to two amongst the best known groups in his native country. Pianist and composer Gerardo Di Giusto was born in Cordoba (Argentina) but has been living in Paris for several years, where he met with the other members of Gaia Cuatro. Gerardo Di Giusto has founded, together with Carlos Buschini, Javier Girotto and Minino Garay the group Cordoba Reunion. His task is to create sophisticated and colorful compositions that respond in perfect rhythmic harmony to the rest of the quartet. Bass and double bass player Carlos ‘el tero‘ Buschini, Argentinian from Cordoba too, lives in Italy and has had collaborations with several musicians, amongst who Franco D’Andrea, Joe Santiago, Juan Caceres, Luis Agudo, Havana Mambo and Franco Mussida. IN THE WEB Gaia Cuatro official profile including the latest music, albums, songs, music videos and more updates: https://myspace.com/gaiacuatro https://myspace.com/gaiacuatro Gaia Cuatro on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/GAIA-CUATRO/283322828164 Discography: 2007 Gaia Cuatro (Cristal Records) 2008 Udin (Abeat Records) 2010 Haruka feat. Paolo Fresu (Abeat Records) 2011 Visions (Abeat Records) Gaia Cuatro on Youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8dKAqtpx-I&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL2EFF5E5D3F072AB9 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8dKAqtpx-I&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL2EFF5E5D3F072AB9 .com/watch? vwww.youtube=wtmhKI1MeWA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtmhKI1MeWA www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SjFie41U60&feature=related www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ObadzdOOVI www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4CJlbQM09c www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKfGir3nrD8 

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