Borneo Jazz Festival’s performers sang their hearts out
Taylor’s University was infused with an enchanting spectacle of music and adventure on May 10 & 11 with the Borneo Jazz Festival Preview 2011.
Jazz music aficionados who swarmed the Amphitheater amidst the warm evening’s glow were given a firsthand sneak preview of the highly-anticipated Borneo Jazz Festival (formerly known as the Miri International Jazz Festival) that was to be held in Miri, Sarawak the following weekend.
Organized by final year students of Taylor’s University School of Hospitality, Tourism & Culinary Arts (BD 32 Group HR1) in collaboration with the Sarawak Tourism Board, the event which showcased several road shows leading towards the two night long grand affair was a true success.
“This preview allows festival-goers a taste of what they can expect during the Borneo Jazz Festival,” said Dato Rashid Khan, chief executive officer of Sarawak Tourism Board (STB).
Taylor’s homegrown symphony orchestra kick-started the event at half past seven - proving to be just the perfect after-dinner treat - with a surefire crowd pleaser and cult classic score- Hawaii Five-O’s theme song.
The ante was upped as they followed through with Coldplay’s ‘Viva La Vida’ before coming to a spectacular end with a majestic rendition of A.R. Rahman’s ‘Jai Ho’.
If the promising start was anything to go by, audiences were only getting warmed up for the two international headlining acts that were scheduled to follow.
Jazz saxophonist, vocalist and composer Yuichiro Tokuda’s RALYZZ DIG (which means ‘to dig into jazz that sends out hot rays and touches the heart with lyrics’), helming from Japan was first up. Despite it being their first time ever performing in a foreign country, the guitarist and saxophonist duo managed to sway the crowd at the event with their soothing and chilled-out original compositions.
However, the undisputable highlight of the night belonged to French quartet Les Doights De L’Homme (The Fingers of the People) who offered up an eclectic and explosive performance courtesy of their authentic brand of swing, rock and even punk influenced Gypsy Jazz. Their up-tempo music and impeccable showmanship stole the show and left the crowd in high-spirits.
Other performers of the night included In Your Heart featuring Sachie Amira, Beat of Soul from Indonesia, Irma Seleman and 8 a.m.
(By Florence Song)
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