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Richard Bona Headlines Penang Island Jazz Festival, December 4-7, 2014

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The Penang Island Jazz Festival embarks on it second decade from the December, 4-7 2014. The first ten years have cemented the PIJF’s standing as one of the very best music festivals in Asia and the 11th edition at the Bayview Beach Resort is set to carry on that tradition with an eclectic and exciting line-up crowned by Cameroonian singer/bass legend Richard Bona.

The two-day main program on the Jazz By The Beach stage offers a diverse line-up. Singer-songwriter Seth Glier, German trio CNIRBS, Canadian singer/pianist Laila Biali, African/European band Monoswezi, the trad-jazz Dutch Swing College Band and the legendary Richard Bona play the Jazz By the Beach stage on Saturday 6. Bona has played with everybody from Joe Zawinul to Michael Brecker and Pat Metheny and is widely considered as one of the very best bass players in the world.

Sunday 7 serves up an equally eclectic line-up, with the Jo Young Deok Trio from Korea getting things rolling. Japanese piano trio Schroeder-Headz, singer-songwriter Crystal Bowersox, London’s Fresh Dixie Project and Portuguese singing sensation Carmen Souza, while Penang’s very own Jazzhats & Ray featuring Man Kidal will close the festival with their energetic jazz, soul and funk.

The Creative Malaysia program shines the spotlight on no fewer than fourteen Malaysian bands this year on stage at the Bayview Beach Resort, the Hard Rock Hotel Penang and the Parkroyal Penang Resort. In the last two editions of the PIJF the Sunrise @ TSG (Tropical Spice Garden) has proved very popular and this year three bands will perform in the lush grounds of the award-winning Tropical Spice Gardens between 7 - 9am.

An important part of the PIJF over the years has been the Island Music Forum, which brings together industry experts to discuss wide-ranging topics related to jazz/creative music. This year the PIJF has a very strong program of discussion panels, which will address a number of issues related to jazz in Asia including festival programming in a competitive market, the challenges and opportunities facing Asian jazz artists.

With workshops throughout the festival and the annual jazz gallery displaying instruments, posters and photographs related to jazz, there is something for everybody at Penang Island Jazz Festival 2014.

The festival commences on Thursday 4 with a talk by PIJF director and founder Paul Augustin and Penang stalwart James Lockhead on Penang Musical Heritage. On Friday December 5 there will be a charity concert featuring several of the festival bands in the Grand Ballroom of the Bayview Beach Resort. Part of the proceeds from the concert will be donated to Persatuan Kebajikan Shammah (Shammah Home for Abandoned Children).

All in all, it promises to be an action-packed, fun-filled few days in Penang with music at the heart of the celebration. For more information including tickets visit the PIJF website.

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