2014 marks the 12th edition of Jazzmandu, a week-long international Jazz extravaganza in Nepal’s capital. This year, the “biggest jazz party in the Himalayas” brings together a a refreshingly diverse and powerful line-up that will make the Kathmandu valley vibrate with jazz from 16 to 22 October. This year will feature acclaimed international musicians from various cultural and musical backgrounds: Kristian Persson Elements (Sweden), K.J. Denhert (USA), Ange Takats (Australia) Pity Cabrera Trio (Cuba/France), Eduardo Mendonça (Brazil), Tropic Green (Singapore) as well as traditional and jazz musicians from Nepal,among which the The Cadenza Collective from Nepal, to make the Kathmandu valley vibrate with jazz from 16 to 22 October.
Since its early days back in 2002, Surya Nepal Kathmandu Jazz Festival has featured renowned international musicians from diverse cultural and musical backgrounds as well as traditional and jazz musicians from Nepal. The festival offers an exciting platform for national and international artists to meet and share their love of music with fellow musicians and with an ever-growing audience. Jazzmandu offers quality jazz to audiences in Nepal, and transcends cultural boundaries while spreading the message of unity, compassion and peace through the language of music.
Over the years, Surya Nepal Jazzmandu has successfully introduced jazz that has now permeated the fabric of popular music in the Nepali capital, exposing musicians to new techniques, styles and the freedom of improvisation that have encouraged and expanded their own creativity. The festival has also been instrumental in generating a growing genuine interest for music education and western music traditions as the numerous music and jazz schools in the capital can attest. The Jazz for the Next Generation competition, a now well- established feature of Jazzmandu, opens the festival and provides an opportunity for aspiring local young bands to showcase their skills and talents and interact with renowned visiting artists. “Every year we see with this music competition that there are more and more young Nepali musicians getting into Jazz, and many are very talented and passionate! It is great to see that the festival has had an important role to play in this!” says Navin Chettri, Jazzmandu’s Artistic Director.
During the past twelve years, the festival has provided free shows for the general public, jazz performances for school students, and master classes and workshops by visiting artists for music enthusiasts and students. Jazzmandu has introduced locals to many virtuoso performers from across the globe – Trilok Gurtu, Tito Puente Jr., Grammy Award Winner Marlow Rosado, Jamie Baum, Claudia Quintet, Dario Eskenazi, Gary Varsace, Jesse Van Ruller, Steve Barrios, Xiomora Laugart, Natalie Williams, Catia Werneck, Ari Hoenig, and Mike Del Ferro, Louis Banks and Don Burrows to name a few.
The international language of music dismisses narrow socio-cultural divides and defies the barriers of culture, color, faith, geography to promote peace and compassion in a world in great need of understanding, empathy, compassion and tolerance. Surya Nepal Jazzmandu provides an exciting platform for musicians and people of all walks of life to come together through their love of music. In turn, international artists have welcomed the chance to discover and appreciate Nepal, its rich culture, its natural beauty and spirituality, the warmth of its people, and the chance to meet and share musical experiences with renowned local musicians.
The Surya Nepal Kathmandu Jazz Festival is a unique blend of culture, people and improvisational music, creating a magical and unforgettable musical experience in the heart of the Himalayas. Even though jazz began as an American art form, it has permeated cultures all over the world. Jazzmandu strives to gather musicians from a variety of countries and musical backgrounds, and provides an opportunity for them to present their unique and refreshing approaches to jazz to a diverse audience.
For its twelfth edition, starting on 16 October, the festival brings no less than nine bands from various countries. “This year the festival will be even more diverse than before as more countries are represented. We have musicians coming from Australia, Sweden, Cuba, France, Switzerland, Brazil, Singapore, Japan, the US and of course Nepal”, says Navin Chettri.
Since its early days back in 2002, Surya Nepal Kathmandu Jazz Festival has featured renowned international musicians from diverse cultural and musical backgrounds as well as traditional and jazz musicians from Nepal. The festival offers an exciting platform for national and international artists to meet and share their love of music with fellow musicians and with an ever-growing audience. Jazzmandu offers quality jazz to audiences in Nepal, and transcends cultural boundaries while spreading the message of unity, compassion and peace through the language of music.
Over the years, Surya Nepal Jazzmandu has successfully introduced jazz that has now permeated the fabric of popular music in the Nepali capital, exposing musicians to new techniques, styles and the freedom of improvisation that have encouraged and expanded their own creativity. The festival has also been instrumental in generating a growing genuine interest for music education and western music traditions as the numerous music and jazz schools in the capital can attest. The Jazz for the Next Generation competition, a now well- established feature of Jazzmandu, opens the festival and provides an opportunity for aspiring local young bands to showcase their skills and talents and interact with renowned visiting artists. “Every year we see with this music competition that there are more and more young Nepali musicians getting into Jazz, and many are very talented and passionate! It is great to see that the festival has had an important role to play in this!” says Navin Chettri, Jazzmandu’s Artistic Director.
During the past twelve years, the festival has provided free shows for the general public, jazz performances for school students, and master classes and workshops by visiting artists for music enthusiasts and students. Jazzmandu has introduced locals to many virtuoso performers from across the globe – Trilok Gurtu, Tito Puente Jr., Grammy Award Winner Marlow Rosado, Jamie Baum, Claudia Quintet, Dario Eskenazi, Gary Varsace, Jesse Van Ruller, Steve Barrios, Xiomora Laugart, Natalie Williams, Catia Werneck, Ari Hoenig, and Mike Del Ferro, Louis Banks and Don Burrows to name a few.
The international language of music dismisses narrow socio-cultural divides and defies the barriers of culture, color, faith, geography to promote peace and compassion in a world in great need of understanding, empathy, compassion and tolerance. Surya Nepal Jazzmandu provides an exciting platform for musicians and people of all walks of life to come together through their love of music. In turn, international artists have welcomed the chance to discover and appreciate Nepal, its rich culture, its natural beauty and spirituality, the warmth of its people, and the chance to meet and share musical experiences with renowned local musicians.
The Surya Nepal Kathmandu Jazz Festival is a unique blend of culture, people and improvisational music, creating a magical and unforgettable musical experience in the heart of the Himalayas. Even though jazz began as an American art form, it has permeated cultures all over the world. Jazzmandu strives to gather musicians from a variety of countries and musical backgrounds, and provides an opportunity for them to present their unique and refreshing approaches to jazz to a diverse audience.
For its twelfth edition, starting on 16 October, the festival brings no less than nine bands from various countries. “This year the festival will be even more diverse than before as more countries are represented. We have musicians coming from Australia, Sweden, Cuba, France, Switzerland, Brazil, Singapore, Japan, the US and of course Nepal”, says Navin Chettri.
