'Mixed Set'

The Sunrise Jazz festival just had its three weekend run in October and now it was time for the Philips International Jazz Festival to get back into action, having taken a little break last year to feature diva Chaka Khan (for a dinner engagement).

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For the first time, the festival went for green instead of concrete.

Taking its cue from the popular Rainforest World Music Festival in Sarawak, the outdoor setting was the new choice and certainly made for a more genuine music carnival feel. The Bukit Kiara Equestrian and Country Resort ground in Kuala Lumpur provided an opportunity for music enthusiasts to drag their family along, complete with picnic gear for an evening and night of fun and music.

The evening’s full moon last Saturday was a good omen. Thankfully there were no downpours and the festival began in a brisk stride as winners of the recently concluded Philips School Jazz Band awards entertained festival-goers trickling in with some fine late afternoon sessions.

The grassroots are important and these jazz youngsters were all right. The small combo from SMK Sea Park, the big band from SMK Kian Kok, Sabah and the college combo from the Faculty of Performing Arts, UITM all received a golden chance to perk up their chops and improvise their styles to an early audience already breaking into the hundreds.

By 6pm, full proceedings began with what suspiciously looked like Australia’s answer to Manhattan Transfer kicking off the festival in full. The Kuala Lumpur crowd was ready to kick it with the capital’s first real outdoor music festival.

Dinnertime was beckoning, but the opportunity to catch The Idea of North was something not to be missed.

 

It was an exhilarating sunset session from this fast rising a cappella quartet comprising Nicholas Begbie (tenor), Andrew Piper (bass and vocal percussion), Naomi Crellin (alto) and Patricia Delaney-Brown (soprano), who presented a blend of uniquely arranged contemporary classics and some very recent original material.

From rearranged songs by Cole Porter, to Latin jazz ballads from the likes of Antonio Carlos Jobin, and a rendition of a rearrangement of jazz pianist Thelonius Monk piece – this bunch impressed the audience.

There was a quirky rendition of a German folk song, My Hat It Has Three Corners, which received their biggest ovation, complete with vocal effects and sounds. Idea of North, perhaps, was an idea laidback outfit to ease the crowd into a good time.

And the music was spot on. Original songs such as Fragile written by Australian jazz star James Morrison (remember him?) came across with enthusiasm and drew loud cheers from new converts.

Most unique is that this quartet concentrate n fully a cappella, and even in the jazz scene, few vocal ensembles take that route. For non-believers, the group’s Hear And Now was some achievement – having reduced an original big band instrumentation of 16 down to four voices.

Closing off the set with a soul classic from Stevie Wonder – Isn’t She Lovely – was also a good move.

The audience were warming up very nicely.

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From the highs to the lows, this year’s Philips International Jazz Festival was still a model event that deserves a further run outdoors (always!) and with fingers-crossed, let’s hope some more jazz names make the list next year. Maybe, add a blues tent for variety ...