Friday December 7, 2007
All that jazz ... and more
The recent edition of the inconspicuous Penang Island Jazz Festival is fast carving a niche on the live music calendar.
By CHRISTINA CHIN
sgchris@thestar.com.my
THE recently-concluded 2007 Penang Island Jazz Festival was definitely not for jazz purists.
The promotional pamphlets and brochures should have come with a warning – “genre-obsessed fans need not attend” because the festival, featuring two solid days of top-notch music, was strictly for the open-minded.
Several of the main acts even admitted to not being “jazz musicians” per se but for those just looking to be entertained and were out to have some fun, the pigeonholing of what constitutes “jazz” was irrelevant.
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Magic fingers: Paul Ponnudorai in action. |
For two days, musicians and singers blurred the lines between commercial pop, world music and jazz, with the likes of the Jimmy Boyle Young Talent Jazz Competition (JBYTJC) winners, The Idea of North, Anke Helfrich Trio, guitarist John Goldie, the Bob Aves Jazz Group, Grace Nono, Nah Youn Sun, Bangkok Connection, Louis Soliano Quartet, Possicobilities, Paul Ponnudorai, Jose Thomas & Groove Unction and Leonard Tan & Bean-Sproutz, converging at the Bayview Beach Resort gardens in Batu Ferringhi.
Flying in from Britain , Korea, China, Thailand, the Philippines, Germany, Australia and Singapore, these guys were here to entertain – and that they did!
This year’s crowd was bigger than last year’s – with quite a number of holidaymakers joining in the fun. Both festival nights, according to the organisers Capricorn Connection, attracted a total of 4,000 fans. The event was presented by Mercedes and supported by Penang Tourism Action Council.
This writer was really glad that there was a mix of performers, ranging from jazz maestros like the Louis Soliano Quartet to acoustic guitar king John Goldie and the sultry Nah .
Performing on the first day of the two-day concert, they not only got the crowd on their feet dancing but also scatting along with them. I must confess – I have never heard Goldie play so when MC Richard La Faber introduced him as “the world’s finest guitarist”, I thought it was probably a hyped-up introduction (a normal reaction for those who have seen Paul Ponnudorai in action).
The self-taught guitarist who cites jazz, blues, Celtic and funk as influences, sure proved me wrong. Goldie was, well – gold!
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Top act from Down Under: The Idea of North blew the crowd away with its tight harmonies. |
Playing some Motown classics like I Heard it Through the Grapevine (a tribute to his electric guitar days) and the sweet Secret Love (his wife’s favourite) and a creative medley of Summertime and Green Onions (which he christened Summer Onion), this man was one heck of a class act.
Nah, Korea’s Department of Culture and Tourism Young Artiste of the Year winner and France St Maur Jazz and Jazz a Juan Revelation awards recipient, was also a breath of fresh air.
Her confidence and stage presence belie her youthful good looks. Halfway through her 45-minute set, Nah had the crowd scatting along. Her experience performing in clubs and festivals all over France, Australia, China, Korea and the USA, clearly showed.
Performing songs from her latest album Memory Lane, the plucky lady was all that jazz ... and more!
The Louis Soliano Quartet from Singapore, lived up to their billing as “pure genius and true jazz” (no surprise considering these guys have collaborated with the likes of Stan Getz, Sarah Vaughn and Buddy Rich – all famous jazz personalities, mind you).
When Possicobilities took to the stage, neither of us was prepared for their brand of Mandarin-flavoured jazz. Blending Western music with a dash of Eastern flavour, these guys were really something else.
Charismatic vocalist Coco Zhao was once dubbed “The Boy Billy Holiday from China” when he appeared in the “La Boite de Jazz” music programme and performed in several renowned jazz clubs in Paris.
The crowd got a good dose of popular favourites from the Bangkok Connection – the last act for the first day’s concert. Their repertoire included hits for Earth, Wind and Fire, Stevie Wonder’s Superstitious and Smoke Gets in Your Eyes – not exactly your average jazz fare, but no one was complaining.
Unfortunately, the crowd was noticeably bigger on the second day. Most were under the impression that the second day performers were more “prolific” – I couldn’t disagree more.
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The Possicobilities from China was among one of the original acts at the festival. |
“His technique is flawless and his ‘rock-a-billy’ style of music is unique. Fantastic,” he said.
The Idea of North, an Australian quartet, was also an impressive bunch – using their voices as percussion instruments.
Winner of the Australian Contemporary A Capella Recording Awards for Best Jazz Album & Jazz Best Song, the foursome with tight harmonies also showed that they had a sense of humour when they gave Blue Bayou a lyrical revamp.
All in all, the 12 acts that graced this year’s jazz party up north were really a motley crew of colourful talents.
Looks like next year’s performers will have a lot to live up to.
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