This isn’t in Kuching, but Borneo Jazz is an important product of the Sarawak Tourism Board (STB), and probably the very first jazz festivals ever held in Sarawak, or maybe Malaysian Borneo.
Running in it’s 13th year, the festival would see new things coming this time around with the festival being moved Coco Cabana, which is located at Marina Bay. This is a huge move from their traditional ParkCity Everly Hotel location which is also the same venue for the Miri Country Music Festival.
Organised by No Black Tie Presents in conjunction with Sarawak Tourism Board for this edition, the Borneo Jazz would feature 3 SAXES, namely Tony Lakatos (Germany), Gaoyang Li (China) and Julian Chan together with Michael Veerapen (Malaysia) who will perform with veteran singer Datuk Zainal Abidin and Dasha Logan, daughter of late Alleycats’ vocalist Loganathan Arumugam.
Also coming to perform would be Swiss-French ensemble Chris Stalk Quartet, Italian vocalist Cecilia Brunori, Chinese saxophonist Gaoyang Li, multi-talented Polish artist Grzegorz Karnas, Cuban band Havana Social Club featuring Lazaro Numa, and Singaporean jazz icon, Jeremy Monteiro leading the 18-piece Jazz Association of Singapore Orchestra (JASSO).
In addition, line-ups also include exclusive multinational collaborations such as the Malaysian-Japanese WVC featuring Isao Miyoshi and Gypsy Jazz featuring artists from Belgium, Taiwan and Malaysia.
Other Malaysian performers making an appearance include up-and-coming pianist John Dip Silas and the diverse Nadir with its unique combination of classically-trained Carnatic singer, pop pianist, metal guitarist, rock drummer and saxophonist.
If you are going to the Borneo Jazz festivals, the best hotel rates in Miri are available if you book online now, or you may have to fork out more as the festival date goes closer.
