The Penang Jazz Festival...i've been hearing quite a bit about it for the past one year...last year, it was held smack in the middle of my project presentation week so i didn't get a chance to witness what the big hu-ha was. This year, however, it came around just nice..a week after my finals!!! :) Viv and i made our way upto Bayview Beach Resort where the festival was held last saturday evening, armed with our beach bags, and viv's mat. Though not being much of a music buff, i welcomed the idea of chillin' out with music by the beach!!!
Initially, i did a bit of people-watching...it was amazing to see so many malaysians and foreigners spread themselves across Bayview's garden relaxing on mats and enjoying the various performances. The crowd - families spanning three generations, tourists, and then of course, the yuppies who are literally everywhere these days! After awhile, i got attracted to the music being played...the so called jazz music which some of my friends are crazy about! And you know what, hey, it's not that bad!!! The bands that night was a good blend of local and foreign...one very interesting jazz piece played, was Shanon Shah's "Jurutera". "Jurutera" is a song composed by Shanon, expressing how he abhored studying engineering, and finally found the guts to call it quits, to pursue his passion in music. That piece really struck me...i mean, how many of us have the guts to call it quits? To brave the consequences of quitting? To put a stop, and not worry about regrets??? To pursue our dreams, without thinking of its financial returns??? After Shanon's inspiring piece, i was all ears for jazz...and hey, i think i like it now!!! :) And then of course, i should not forget Ruby Rozells...gosh! Her voice is just so good!...She sang a number of oldies which really drew my attention, as i simply love english oldies! Other bands that performed included the Penang Areca Jazz Ensemble, Sufiah Noor, Zailan Razak Project, and international bands - Steve White (US), Greg Lyons Nonet and Saharadja (Indonesia). Now lemme tell ya about Saharadja...this band was really cekap la! The had did a fusion of the percussion, the tabla, the sitar, the keyboard, electric violin and guitar, saxaphone, and some long pipe thingy from australia. Now Saharadja's performance, being the finale to the entire night, was so good, that literally everyone was up on their feet dancing away!!! Can you imagine...scottish folk tunes, being played with the electric violin??? wow! It was so like Vanessa Mae...hhaaiii....why did i ever give up playing the violin?!
After the finale, viv and i scouted around the various booths which had items on sale...viv got sahara's cd, and we waited for them to come out to get it autographed by them...reached home at about 2am. The one and only other concert i have bene for, was Linkin Park's concert in KL in Yr 2003...Now this year, its the Penang Jazz Festival...a concert i must admit i truely enjoyed...my kind of music, my kind of atmosphere, my kind of chilling out! :) Wonder what my next concert will be! :) To everyone reading this, i really encourage you guys to come for the next Jazz Festival in Penang...we will go together-gether....if not for the music, then at least to witness the typical Penangite kinda fun! :)
6 December 2005
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