THE much-anticipated Penang Island Jazz Festival is back for its eighth year, bringing with it numerous supporting activities and fringe performances in addition to the main stage concert.
To be held from Dec 1 to 4, the programme lineup has been carefully planned to ensure visitors have a whale of a time, with a focus not only on the entertainment aspect, but also on music education and appreciation.
Cool night: The crowd enjoying last year's Penang Island Jazz Festival. Festival director Paul Augustin hopes the younger generation will be inspired to enhance their musical creativity.
“The festival is built on a foundation of friendship and has grown from strength to strength over the years. It is now recognised internationally as one of the most important music festivals in the region,” he said in a recent press conference at the G Spot in G Hotel.
He said it had also become a great introductory platform for both local and international musicians, as a number of them, after participating here, had since been invited to perform in other festivals worldwide.
“The supporting activities are an important component of the festival as they have always been our intention that the festival is not just a concert but a musical experience for participants and audience alike,” Augustin added.
The main highlight is the Jazz by the Beach main stage performance on Dec 3 and 4 which features a total of 12 local and foreign groups in the gardens of the Bayview Beach Resort in Batu Ferringhi.
The international acts are Sha-katak (UK), Ulf and Eric Wakenius (Sweden), Yuri Honing Wired Para-dise (Netherlands), Espen Eriksen Trio and Eva Bjerga Haugen (Norway), Nina Van Horn (France/USA/Spain), Michaela Rabitsch and Robert Pawlik Trio (Australia/India), Rio Sidik Quar-tet (Indonesia), Jiyoung Lee Quar- tet (Korea) and Rusconi (Switzer-land).
Malaysian acts include Fred Cheah and The Jazzhats, and the Amir Yussof Acoustic Project. Tickets to the main stage performances, on a free standing basis, are priced at RM63 per night.
Besides that, the Fringe Stages have been increased to five — the ‘G Stage’ at G Hotel, ‘Bayview Corner’ at Bayview Beach Resort, ‘The Rock Stage’ at Hard Rock Hotel Penang, ‘The Javana Stage’ at Parkroyal Penang Resort and ‘The BatuJazz Stage’ at Lone Pine Hotel.
Performances will run from 3pm to 5pm on Dec 2 and 3, with the Bayview Corner’s alone running until Dec 4.
Among the many other activities is The Island Jazz Forum on Dec 3 at 10.45 am, also at Bayview Beach, with the topic, ‘Jazz — Beyond the Music’.
The dialogue session will touch on the unseen creative role of jazz music in contributing towards social community issues.
For the detailed programme lineup, visit www.penangjazz.com. Go to www.ticketpro.com.my for ticketing details, online purchases and list of outlets.
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