It's great to see the music of jazz celebrated in this part of the world and the high level of respect and curiosity that everyone should have for it. --Robert Hurst
It's a thrilling, eclectic, annual three-day, multi-faceted jazz event in a tropical atmosphere that gets underway this week in Thailand. Combos of all kinds, big bands, you name it. It's an extraordinary cultural and beautiful, warm atmosphere.
Hundreds of jazz lovers and musicians from a variety of countries eagerly congregate each day at various stages at the College of Music at Bangkok's Salaya campus of prestigious Mahidol University. Plenty of opportunities for education for all ages, performances and socializing around delicious Thai food are provided. “Learning" and “Happiness" through jazz are key statement missions.
This weekend—January 27-29, 2017—the ever-growing ninth Thailand International Jazz Conference, with over 60 bands appearing this year, again presents an impressive lineup of jazz musicians. With jazz popular in Thailand, most are talented Thai musicians. But some of the bands traveled from the United States and other countries. Among those featured is American alto saxophonist and composer Donald Harrison. Performing with his quartet are pianist Zaccai Curtis, drummer Darryl Staves, and bassist Max Moran.
“This is the jazz event of the year and I never miss it!" exclaims one of the hundreds of jazz enthusiasts, Kyle Dreher, an expat of Bangkok and music and English junior high school teacher, who attends with jazz lover Gordon Steele.
Attendees such as regular expats, tourists to Thailand escaping the cold back home, and dedicated jazz students of all ages will be able to see artists such as Harrison in a variety of settings. He will not only perform on the main night stage (and present a daytime workshop), but he appears at the festival in the Prince Mahidol Hall as a soloist with the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra (TPO) in an important Saturday afternoon concert at 4 p.m.
It is being hailed as an historic concert (January 28) because the Thailand International Jazz Conference will celebrate its first-ever festival recording. It will be of Harrison's orchestral music composition, “Congo Square." with the TPO. Last year was the first time the orchestra and world-acclaimed jazz musicians performed together at the festival.
A native of New Orleans, LA, Harrison is proud to bring his classical-jazz piece to be performed half way around the globe that is named after the historical place in New Orleans greatly contributing to the development of African-American culture and jazz music.
Jazz Studies faculty organizers of TIJC in the College of Music say they recognize 2017 as an important year because this year marks 100 years of jazz with the centenary of the first-ever jazz recording by the Original Dixieland Jass Band (ODJB). They also brought in the Julian Lage Trio, with guitarist Lage, drummer Eric Doob on drums, and bassist Jorge Roeder. Lage's latest album “Arclight" received a big response from jazz fans and critics. Thais look up to Lage, who was a child prodigy on guitar, even sitting in with Santana as a child. He joined a recording of David Grisman at the age of 12. Today at age 28, he has a big fan base around the world.
Brooklyn-based pianist Shai Maestro, with his style of Israeli jazz, arrived to perform at TIJC, along with his band's drummer Kush Abadey and bassist Desmond White. Together they are billed as the Shai Maestro/Desmond White Group. They were among the instructors at the jazz camp, held before the festival. Keith Jackson is another artist slated to teach trombone technique in a conference workshhop.
Magos Herra is on the main stage and is known for her eloquent vocal improvisations and bold style embracing contemporary jazz elements with Latin American melodies.
Grants came from the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok for the Donald Harrison Quartet, from the Embassy of Israel in Thailand for Shai Maestro Group and from the Embassy of Mexico in Thailand for Magos Herrera.
Returning this year are Thai favorites Sunny Trio and Natt Buntita, and they are expected to perform some of their beautiful tunes from their popular new album, “Two of a Kind," released this past year to acclaim.
TIJC has come to be known for its unique atmosphere and is a good model for a jazz festival, according to Dr. Sugree Charoencook, the Dean of the College of Music, Mahidol University. In its history, acclaimed jazz musicians have been featured from an array of countries that not only include Thailand and the United States, but also Denmark, Germany, Korea and Russia.
“We are Jazz Cats" is a fun theme, providing a jazz community feel. T-shirts and other memorabilia are available for sale with pictures of cats on them, and many musicians, students and audience members wear them. You can find the Jazz Cat theme in large cut-outs all over the place, for photo opportunities, and even in the trees.
It's a year-long effort of organizing this jazz extravaganza. The organizing committee includes four members who make extra sure this is a premiere and extraordinary event. They are members of a group Pomelo Town which performs every year. Mr. Noppadol Tirataradol, bassist and TIJC Project Manager, Artistic Director Mr. Darin Pantoomkomol, pianist who sometimes serves as translator ("We all wear many hats here."), Mr. Krit Buranavitayawut, saxophonist and university Associate Dean, and Mr. Kom Wongsawat, drummer and pianist (even music photographer) are part of the important committee.
They initially got some of their ideas for the conference festival from attending the defunct IAJE conferences in the United States. But they brought their own vision. One component of the conference they instituted were the solo competitions, with money prizes, to encourage jazz musicians. The invited featured performers comprise judges panels and choose the winners in several categories. This is always a fun part of the conference to watch. Another fun part are the large variety of workshops on many instruments and jazz topics. Translations are provided for workshops in Thai and in English.
It's so much more than a jazz festival here in Thailand and includes extra components, master-classes, workshops, daytime concerts and nightly programs of multiple groups. Thai jazz students listen attentively and hang on every note of the artists, their eyes and ears attuned to each musical phrase.
The opening ceremony always includes the announcement of the TIJC Lifetime Achievement Award. This is quite an honor for a career Thai musician.
All in all, it's a friendly, relaxing atmosphere in a beautiful, lush setting. Hotels are convenient. Van transportation is available to and from Victory Monument in the city. Jazz students all are volunteers to make this successful each year. It's easy to meet the professionals who come. The Thais line up to buy their CDs and get autographs. Everyone loves eating Thai cuisine in the Music Square restaurant and in the many outdoor stalls. Everyone is listening and thinking jazz. Jazz is so appreciated here in Thailand.
“It's great to see the music of jazz celebrated in this part of the world and the high level of respect and curiosity that everyone should have for it. It's just beautiful the way people are accepting it," said Robert Hurst, a jazz bassist and professor from the University of Michigan.
“I'm very excited I had the chance to be on the program. It was such a pleasure. I highly recommend it," said pianist Peter Martin, who came last year from St. Louis, MO.
Each year a new lineup of professional artists are chosen for this festival. It's a win-win for artists, jazz students and the Bangkok audiences at TIJC.
—Carla Marie Rupp and Jason Rupp are freelance travel writers and music journalists.
Hundreds of jazz lovers and musicians from a variety of countries eagerly congregate each day at various stages at the College of Music at Bangkok's Salaya campus of prestigious Mahidol University. Plenty of opportunities for education for all ages, performances and socializing around delicious Thai food are provided. “Learning" and “Happiness" through jazz are key statement missions.
This weekend—January 27-29, 2017—the ever-growing ninth Thailand International Jazz Conference, with over 60 bands appearing this year, again presents an impressive lineup of jazz musicians. With jazz popular in Thailand, most are talented Thai musicians. But some of the bands traveled from the United States and other countries. Among those featured is American alto saxophonist and composer Donald Harrison. Performing with his quartet are pianist Zaccai Curtis, drummer Darryl Staves, and bassist Max Moran.
“This is the jazz event of the year and I never miss it!" exclaims one of the hundreds of jazz enthusiasts, Kyle Dreher, an expat of Bangkok and music and English junior high school teacher, who attends with jazz lover Gordon Steele.
Attendees such as regular expats, tourists to Thailand escaping the cold back home, and dedicated jazz students of all ages will be able to see artists such as Harrison in a variety of settings. He will not only perform on the main night stage (and present a daytime workshop), but he appears at the festival in the Prince Mahidol Hall as a soloist with the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra (TPO) in an important Saturday afternoon concert at 4 p.m.
It is being hailed as an historic concert (January 28) because the Thailand International Jazz Conference will celebrate its first-ever festival recording. It will be of Harrison's orchestral music composition, “Congo Square." with the TPO. Last year was the first time the orchestra and world-acclaimed jazz musicians performed together at the festival.
A native of New Orleans, LA, Harrison is proud to bring his classical-jazz piece to be performed half way around the globe that is named after the historical place in New Orleans greatly contributing to the development of African-American culture and jazz music.
Jazz Studies faculty organizers of TIJC in the College of Music say they recognize 2017 as an important year because this year marks 100 years of jazz with the centenary of the first-ever jazz recording by the Original Dixieland Jass Band (ODJB). They also brought in the Julian Lage Trio, with guitarist Lage, drummer Eric Doob on drums, and bassist Jorge Roeder. Lage's latest album “Arclight" received a big response from jazz fans and critics. Thais look up to Lage, who was a child prodigy on guitar, even sitting in with Santana as a child. He joined a recording of David Grisman at the age of 12. Today at age 28, he has a big fan base around the world.
Brooklyn-based pianist Shai Maestro, with his style of Israeli jazz, arrived to perform at TIJC, along with his band's drummer Kush Abadey and bassist Desmond White. Together they are billed as the Shai Maestro/Desmond White Group. They were among the instructors at the jazz camp, held before the festival. Keith Jackson is another artist slated to teach trombone technique in a conference workshhop.
Magos Herra is on the main stage and is known for her eloquent vocal improvisations and bold style embracing contemporary jazz elements with Latin American melodies.
Grants came from the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok for the Donald Harrison Quartet, from the Embassy of Israel in Thailand for Shai Maestro Group and from the Embassy of Mexico in Thailand for Magos Herrera.
Returning this year are Thai favorites Sunny Trio and Natt Buntita, and they are expected to perform some of their beautiful tunes from their popular new album, “Two of a Kind," released this past year to acclaim.
TIJC has come to be known for its unique atmosphere and is a good model for a jazz festival, according to Dr. Sugree Charoencook, the Dean of the College of Music, Mahidol University. In its history, acclaimed jazz musicians have been featured from an array of countries that not only include Thailand and the United States, but also Denmark, Germany, Korea and Russia.
“We are Jazz Cats" is a fun theme, providing a jazz community feel. T-shirts and other memorabilia are available for sale with pictures of cats on them, and many musicians, students and audience members wear them. You can find the Jazz Cat theme in large cut-outs all over the place, for photo opportunities, and even in the trees.
It's a year-long effort of organizing this jazz extravaganza. The organizing committee includes four members who make extra sure this is a premiere and extraordinary event. They are members of a group Pomelo Town which performs every year. Mr. Noppadol Tirataradol, bassist and TIJC Project Manager, Artistic Director Mr. Darin Pantoomkomol, pianist who sometimes serves as translator ("We all wear many hats here."), Mr. Krit Buranavitayawut, saxophonist and university Associate Dean, and Mr. Kom Wongsawat, drummer and pianist (even music photographer) are part of the important committee.
They initially got some of their ideas for the conference festival from attending the defunct IAJE conferences in the United States. But they brought their own vision. One component of the conference they instituted were the solo competitions, with money prizes, to encourage jazz musicians. The invited featured performers comprise judges panels and choose the winners in several categories. This is always a fun part of the conference to watch. Another fun part are the large variety of workshops on many instruments and jazz topics. Translations are provided for workshops in Thai and in English.
It's so much more than a jazz festival here in Thailand and includes extra components, master-classes, workshops, daytime concerts and nightly programs of multiple groups. Thai jazz students listen attentively and hang on every note of the artists, their eyes and ears attuned to each musical phrase.
The opening ceremony always includes the announcement of the TIJC Lifetime Achievement Award. This is quite an honor for a career Thai musician.
All in all, it's a friendly, relaxing atmosphere in a beautiful, lush setting. Hotels are convenient. Van transportation is available to and from Victory Monument in the city. Jazz students all are volunteers to make this successful each year. It's easy to meet the professionals who come. The Thais line up to buy their CDs and get autographs. Everyone loves eating Thai cuisine in the Music Square restaurant and in the many outdoor stalls. Everyone is listening and thinking jazz. Jazz is so appreciated here in Thailand.
“It's great to see the music of jazz celebrated in this part of the world and the high level of respect and curiosity that everyone should have for it. It's just beautiful the way people are accepting it," said Robert Hurst, a jazz bassist and professor from the University of Michigan.
“I'm very excited I had the chance to be on the program. It was such a pleasure. I highly recommend it," said pianist Peter Martin, who came last year from St. Louis, MO.
Each year a new lineup of professional artists are chosen for this festival. It's a win-win for artists, jazz students and the Bangkok audiences at TIJC.
—Carla Marie Rupp and Jason Rupp are freelance travel writers and music journalists.
For more information contact All About Jazz.
