Six years into the fray and the Penang Island Jazz Festival seems to be getting more popular.

THE Penang Island Jazz Festival’s reputation has certainly gone ahead of itself, rising from a small two-day affair with a few hundred in attendance per night nearly six years ago to last year’s three day bonanza with an audience of 2,000 per night enjoying the main stage.

Starting Dec 3, the sixth edition of Malaysia’s best loved jazz gathering kicks into high gear, offering a four-day extravaganza at the Bayview Beach Resort, Batu Ferringhi, as well as taking in the newly opened Hard Rock Hotel next door and the G Hotel in town at Gurney Drive.

Diverse: Janek Gwizdala Project, a US/Norwegian collective, is built to roll out a vast array of music genres including jazz, electronica, and folk.

Indeed, this jazz festival seems to be gaining strength when other festivals of its ilk in the Malaysian festival calendar have now slipped off the radar.

Nevertheless, every passing year presents new challenges and this year that would be to cement the growing reputation of the Penang Island Jazz Festival in the region.

Festival director and founder Paul Augustin of Capricorn Connections does believe that after five years, the festival has steadily taken on a form of its own.

“From the inaugural year in 2004 with two days and one stage, it has grown to four days, four stages and a number of host of supporting activities,” he said during the festival’s launch last week in Kuala Lumpur.

“I think we can safely say that in five years, the primary objectives of the festival have been achieved, which is the creation of a festival that programmes high quality acts and attracts a good sizeable audience.”

At present, the Penang-based festival is a big attraction for jazz fans from outstation and abroad.

The Island Palm Beach Boys pay musical tribute to Hawaii.

The rise in popularity of the festival also extends beyond the audience too, as Augustin pointed out that a secondary objective had been achieved with the exporting of Malaysian jazz talents to make their mark at regional festivals.

But back to this year’s edition, and the music acts featured are also a step up in terms of international appeal.

While keeping to an “underground” tradition of featuring some of the less mainstream yet quality jazz exponents, a record 11 acts from across the globe are set to make an impression on the main stage.

Malaysians aren’t left out by any means as a host of younger talents are set to grace the three fringe stages set up for the festival.

So here’s what we can expect come Dec 3:

An evening with the Michelle Nicolle Quartet (Dec 3): G Spot in G Hotel, Gurney Drive, Penang. Featuring one of Australia’s top jazz vocalists supported by her trio of outstanding musicians.

Finals of the Penang Island Jazz Festival Young Talent Competition 2009 (Dec 3). Grand Ballroom, Bayview Beach Resort from 6pm. Organised by The National Department for Culture and Arts and The Capricorn Connection. Free admission.

Jazz With A Heart Charity Dinner (Dec 4): Grand Ballroom, Bayview Beach Resort. Co-hosted by the International Women’s Association Penang with performances by Band of Brothers and Penang acts Island Palm Beach Boys and Rhapsody.

Jazz by the Beach (Dec 5 & 6): The main stage performances at the Bayview Beach Resort Gardens will feature 12 acts starting from 6.30pm both nights. Performers hail from as far as Brazil, the northern stretches of Europe and from nearby neighbours in Asia and Oceania.

Fringe stages (Dec 4 to 6): The G Stage at the G Hotel Lobby Lounge, the Bayview Corner at the Lobby Lounge of the Bayview Beach Resort and The Rock Stage at the poolside of the Hard Rock Hotel Penang, Batu Ferringhi. Performers include Tokyo Blue, SquareCircles, Rhapsody, Ray Cheong Trio, Ocean Of Fire, High Society, WGF & Ray, Unit, De Leon Jazz Experience, Mellowtones, G Spot Band and Winners of The Young Talent Jazz Competition. Performances from 3pm to 5pm daily. Free admission.

Community Drum Circle (Dec 6): Bayview Beach Resort Gardens. 10am. Conducted by members of the Aseana Percussion Unit and Tugu Drum Circle. There will be workshops and forums at the Bayview Beach Resort Hotel, and exhibitions at the hotel starting Dec 1 throughout the festival as well as at the Penang State Art Gallery, Dewan Sri Pinang, Light Street, Penang (until Jan 10, 2010). Admission is free.

Tickets for the main stage performances on Dec 5 and 6: RM55 per day (inclusive of RM3 ticketing fee). Tickets for the Jazz with a Heart Charity Dinner: RM120 or RM1,200 per table. For online purchases and enquiries, call 03-7880 7999 or visit ticketpro.com.my. For details on the festival, visit penangjazz.com or call 03-2093 4725.

Festival Highlights

Janek Gwizdala Project (US/ Norway) Gwizdala (bass/band leader) has assembled a quartet comprising some of the most modern voices in improvised music - pianist/ singer/songwriter Oli Rockberger, Swiss world renowned drumming legend Jojo Mayer and Norwegian Audun Waage on trumpet - with deep roots in the tradition of many genres of music including jazz, electronica and folk.

In The Country (Norway)

In the Country’s music has been described as a combination of exploratory jazz and progressive rock. Leader and pianist Morten Qvenild formed the group with Roger Arntzen (bass) and Pål Hausken (drums) in Oslo in 2003. Since then they have been selected best young jazz artistes in Norway, played concerts in Europe and US and released three albums to critical acclaim.

Studnitzky Trio (Germany)

Sebastian Studnitzky is one of Germany’s most engaging jazz musicians. His warm and balanced sound and phrasing on the trumpet and piano makes him an internationally demanded sideman for Nils Landgren, Mezzoforte, Wolfgang Haffner and Jazzanova. His current trio includes Paul Kleber (bass) and Sebastian Merk (drums).

Siz hukong (Taiwan)

A unique ensemble that plays a new form of Chinese music with the soul of jazz. Led by Taiwanborn composer/pianist Peng Yuwen, together with Toshi Fujii (drums, percussion), Alex Wu (erhu, percussion), Joyce Chen (liuqin, ruan), Huang Chihping (dizi, xiao) and Martijn Vanbuel (bass), they breathe new styles to traditional songs, combining traditional Chinese and modern jazz instrumentation.

Charlie Jung Ban d (South Korea)

Blues influenced band leader/ guitarist Jung is joined in a modern blues mix (with acoustic jazz and electric blues sound) by Park Jae Hong (vocals), Sung Gimoon (piano), Sa Myung Hoon (bass) and Kim Min Kyu (drums).

Buzz Bros Band (Holland)

Buzz Bros Band’s name is taken from the founders of the group – brothers Marnix (guitar/composer) and Berthil Busstra (piano/ Fender Rhodes). With Chris Strik (drums) and Frans van Geest (bass), the band has been considered as groundbreakers in the Dutch music scene.

Paulo Bellinati & Cristina Azuma (Brazil)

Bellinati is one of Brazil’s most accomplished contemporary guitarists while Azuma possesses a strong background in classical and baroque guitar styles and has been performing with Bellinati for more than 20 years.

Michelle Nicolle Quartet (Australia)

Arranger, band Leader and awardwinning jazz vocalist Nicolle’s clear tone and impressive breath control is voice in a style that is truly her own and she is joined by some of the top jazz musicians in Australia – Geoff Hughes (guitar), Tom Lee (double bass) and Ronny Ferella (drums).

Band of Brothers from Thailand.

Island Palm Beach Boys (Malaysia)

In recognition of the rich musical heritage of Penang during the 1940s to 1960s, when the Hawaiian guitar and Hawaiianinfluenced music was the norm, the festival initiated a project that brings together a group of some of the more talented musicians from that era. Comprising William Scully (Hawaiian guitar), Leander Jeremiah and George Baum (guitars), Bonnie Jeremiah (bass), Douglas De Souza (drums), Alphonso Scully (ukulele) and Ruby Rozells (vocals), The Island Palm Beach Boys will take the audience on a trip down memory lane with popular songs from that era arranged in a smooth jazzy style.

Band of Brothers (Thailand)

A return visit for this outfit that blew apart the 2006 edition of this fest. Comprising some of Thailand’s top jazz musicians, the Bangkok-based Band of Brothers is led by two of the most established names in the Thai jazz scene – Hank The Groove (vocals) and Koh Mr Saxman (saxophones) with a supporting section of four of the most talented musicians in the Thai jazz scene – Wichudej (bass), Nat (guitar), Sompop (drums) and Sakrin (keyboards) – together with special guest and well known jazz trumpet player Steve Cannon.

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