2019 BORNEO JAZZ FESTIVAL
The Borneo Jazz Festival is one of the longest running Jazz festivals in the region, and the 14th edition will take place from July 19th to 21st at Coco Cabana in Marina Bay, Miri, Sarawak. Borneo Jazz Festival has evolved to emphasise social responsibility towards recycling within the local community. In 2018 the festival introduced the Borneo Jazz Talent Search as part of its musical outreach programme. This year the festival’s music outreach will expand to include the Borneo Jazz DJ Search.
The 14th Borneo Jazz Festival will include a stellar line-up of international and local artists, highlighting 15 bands, DJ’S over three days. The 2019 line-up includes internationally acclaimed artists from USA, Italy, Mexico, Japan, Austria, The Netherlands and some of the region’s best. The on-going objective of Borneo Jazz Festival is to promote music tourism for Sarawak, collaborating with local communities to showcase Borneo through its exotic cuisine and wide array of indigenous arts & crafts.
Evelyn Hii, festival co-organiser, artistic director and founder of No Black Tie, Kuala Lumpur’s Premier Jazz Club explains that “The Borneo Jazz Festival is intent on connecting audiences through music and by celebrating the diverse and rich cultural heritage of Sarawak.
Our social responsibility within the community is a key driver for our festival this year.”
MUSICAL MIRI MOVES
Located close to the Brunei border, Miri is the gateway to Sarawak’s fascinating northeast region. Miri is an important tourism gateway as the jumping-off point for some of Sarawak’s world famous National Parks, including Niah Caves, (with its famous has rock paintings dated as 1,200 years old) Gunung Mulu (home of some of the world’s largest caves) and Lambir Hills, as well as the remote Bario Highlands, with its community of Kelabit villages lying at an altitude of 1000m above sea level and a place of beauty and serenity. For divers there are a number of world class dive sites.
Miri’s population of 300,000 reflects Sarawak’s diverse ethnic make-up. Chinese, Ibans, Malays, Melanaus, Bisayas, orang Ulus (mostly Kayan, Kenyah, Kelabit and Lun Bawang), Bidayuhs, Indians and Eurasians all make their home here, along with West Malaysians and a sizeable expatriate community.
A rapidly expanding business and commercial centre and the home of Sarawak’s oil industry, Miri is fast becoming an important tourism destination in its own right, with an excellent range of hotels to suit every budget, a wide selection of seafood restaurants, bustling native markets and a newly developed Marina Bay area.
PERFORMERS MARQUES YOUNG,
also known as Q Sound, grew up in the USA surrounded by jazz records and church songs. In 2003, he began his studies at
the Juilliard School under Joseph Alessi, Principal Trombone of the New York Philharmonic. In that time, Q Sound found continued success in solo competitions which led him to a position in the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra.
Q Sound is also backed by an impressive list of past performances, namely for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as well as opening for Jose James, Babyface and Hiatus Koyote with the band Bassment Syndicate.
IRESON was founded in 1991 by Mexican pianist and composer, Alina Ramírez and bassist, guitarist, composer and arranger, Mario Lopez. IRESON includes Mexican musicians Moy Olivera on timbales and drums, and young sonero, Josse Manuel. Their first album “Vendo Rumba” was recorded live in No Black Tie, Kuala Lumpur’s premier Jazz Club, together with a brass section in 2012, and was launched at Esplanade Recital Studio in Singapore. Mixing a variety of rhythms such as danzon, merengue, songo, afro etc, IRESON has been playing original music in clubs, festivals and parties, alternating with prestigious orchestras such as Gilberto Santa Rosa from Puerto Rico and Irakere from Cuba.
IRESON has performed at events like the Chijmes Latin Series, Caribbean Salsa Festival, Beer Festival at the World Trade Centre, Festival Cervantino, National Encounter of Soneros, Raffles Marina, Concerts for the National Art Council, Pine Tree Club, Jazz by the Beach, Mosaic Festival and more. ALBERTO MARSICO TRIO consisting of members Alessandro Minetto on drums and
Diego Borotti on tenor sax, the Alberto Marsico Trio have performed across the globe and held seminars in European schools and conservatories. Band leader Alberto Marsico, from Turin, Italy, is one of the most renowned European Organ players. Marsico’s true love and passion for the organ first came about when he attended a workshop by the late Jack Mcduff in 1994, an American jazz organist who was most prominent during the hard bop and soul jazz era of the 1960s. In 2000 Marsico fulfilled one of his dreams of playing a duo concert with Deep
Purple drummer, Ian Paice in Gubbio, Italy. In
2014 he played at The Blue Note in Tokyo and recorded “Jazz-blues Brothers” in October, which was released by Verve Records.
Their latest album titled “4/4”, released in 2015, consist of mainly original compositions in the vein of traditional jazz organ, contemporary jazz, and infused with flavours of blues, soul and funk.
ALINA RAMIREZ is a composer, educator and cultural promoter who was classically trained at the National school of music in Mexico City. She is a trained hardcore Latin pianist who has been performing for more than 28 years. As a composer, she is influenced by traditional Latin and contemporary music. In 2013, Alina was awarded the highest recognition given by the Mexican Government, the Ohtli Medal, in recognition for her passion for disseminating Mexican Culture and the Arts worldwide. She expanded her musical knowledge at Singapore’s LA SALLE College of the Arts by pursuing a degree in jazz music, graduating
with honours in 2014 and a Master’s Degree in Arts and Culture Management in 2018.
ARABYRD’S energetic music and performance will draw you in and hit you when you least expect it. Hailing from Sarawak, her electronic “Borneo booty bass music” has broken boundaries, making a mark for herself and female artists regionally.
Over the years, her artistic vision is not limited to music but translates into fashion as well. She was invited to Paris Fashion Week in 2014 to perform and DJ at various after parties happening around the city. Arabryd has performed with international DJ, Diplo and opened for Beastie Boys as well as Wu Tang Clan at Future Music Festival Asia.
CHANDA RULE was born in between the off beats, the bump and grind of the Disco-funk era in Chicago. Chanda Rule has been weaving stories through song, humming melodies, bending words since her childhood and is the Queen of Contemporary Gospel. “Listening to Roots and Voicing Branches”, a multimedia theatre piece she penned and performed with artist Somi was presented in New York’s Apollo Salon Featured New Works Series and Lincoln Centre.
Gracefully mesmerising audiences, the extraordinary singer began her career in music theatre in productions from New Jersey’s Hudson Shakespeare Company and regional tours, to “Hair, The Musical” in Amsterdam and Milan. Chanda’s genre-defying voice has been featured in a variety of musical projects: from her latest album “Sapphire Dreams” recorded in 2018 with the legendary pianist Kirk Lightsey, to “Feeling Good: A Tribute to Nina Simone” where she was featured with sax powerhouse Donny Mccaslin, gospel festivals and workshops with the Golden Gospel Singers, and concerts with the Outreach Orchestra. She has also performed as an opening act for India.arie, Amel Larrieux, Angela Bofill, Regina Belle & The Whispers, and on live television for ORF’S Dancing Stars. www.borneojazzfestival.com www.sarawaktourism.com www.miricouncil.gov.my