Ta’Dan wins Borneo Jazz Talent Search
MIRI: Ta’Dan came out top among the contestants with their mellow harmonies of cool jazz in the final of the inaugural Borneo Jazz Talent Search competition at Coco Cabana here recently.
The duo comprising Prostasindra Atin and Daniel Lemen outperformed other contestants with their own composition ‘Evolution’ and Billy Cobham’s ‘Stratus’ which earned them thunderous applause and a cash prize of RM1, 500.
According to Prostasindra, the win was unexpected as they did not enter the competition to be champion.
Nevertheless, they were grateful for the opportunity and regarded the talent search as an excellent platform to showcase their music.
“We performed for the fun of it as well as to gain more experience in stage performance.
“We were speechless when we were announced as the champion as we did not expect to win.
“Our objectives were to play and have fun. It had been done and we are satisfied with it,” Prostasindra told The Borneo Post yesterday.
The first runner-up was Perfect Scums with Mohammad Rashman in third place. They received cash prizes of RM1, 200 and RM1, 000 respectively.
At the event, Daniel of Ta’Dan’s was adjudged the winner for the Best Solo Performance while the duo’s song ‘Evolution’ was awarded the Best Original Composition. Both wins came with a cash prize of RM1,000 each.
All the prizes were presented by Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin.
Other bands that participated in the inaugural Borneo Jazz Talent Search included 7th Fusion and Ismet Ulam Raja.
Judges for the contest held in conjunction with the 13th Borneo Jazz Festival here recently were big names in the local entertainment industry including Datuk Zainal Abidin, Tony Lakatos, Michael Veerapen and Zee Avi, and festival director Evelyn Hii.
We performed for the fun of it as well as to gain more experience in stage performance. — Prostasindra Atin
As part of this year’s festival, co-organisers Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) and Kuala Lumpur’s premier jazz club No Black Tie launched the first ‘Borneo Jazz Talent Search’, aimed at providing a platform for emerging talents from Borneo to perform in front of an international audience at the festival.
It was also held to increase appreciation for jazz amongst the younger generation as well as discovering talents amongst musicians in Borneo.