KUCHING: The upcoming 2nd Kuching Waterfront Jazz Festival (KWJF) will feature a total of 14 acclaimed jazz musicians and bands from all over the region. Happening on 28 and 29 September, the festival will see performances by Sarawakian songstress Dayang Nurfaizah, Tompi (Indonesia), Tulus (Indonesia), Aditya (Indonesia), Atilia Haron (Malaysia), Carmen Souza (Portugal), The Natalie Gillespie Band (Australia), Aisyah Aziz (Singapore), Ito and the Blues Gang (Malaysia) and more.
Apart from jazz concerts, there will also be music workshops by Ito and the Blues Gang, Natalie Gillespie Band and Tuku Kame Jazz that will be free and open to the public. Speaking during a press conference at Grand Margherita Hotel here yesterday, Minister for Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports, Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said that the Second Jazz Festival this year will create a lot of interest and continue to gain recognition from jazz lovers globally.
“This jazz festival will also further harness and inspire local talents in jazz entertainment,” he added. He also said that the KWJF will also be one of the ways to enliven the city and make Kuching a vibrant city. “Apart from entertainment features at the festival, traders such as restaurant owners and car rental companies will benefit from the event with the incoming tourists as well as locals,” said Karim.
Other than giving prominence to the scenic Kuching Waterfront, KWJF – created by Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) – will also be a platform to inspire and nurture local music talents. Meanwhile, the winner of KWJF Jazz Band Search, Sang Voyage, will join the line-up representing Sarawak at KWJF 2018. This year’s festival will also feature Tuku Kame, who will be serenading the crowd with their jazz infused with traditional Sape’, and local up and coming jazz pianist Jolynn J Chin, fulfilling the organiser’s intention of highlighting the sounds of Sarawak.
The event is expecting a significant increase from the 4,000 festival goers that attended the first instalment last year. For the full programme and line-up, visit www.kuchingwaterfrontjazz.com. Hotel packages and festival tickets can be purchased online at the website or at the Grand Margherita Hotel, Riverside Majestic Hotel or Place Borneo Sdn Bhd. For latest updates, search Kuching Waterfront Jazz on Facebook and lnstagram. Contact 082-555189 or email kuchingwaterfrontjazz@gmail.com for further enquiries.
