The Kuala Lumpur International Jazz Festival 2015 - A Review

There could not have been a more meaningful opening to the fourth Kuala Lumpur International Jazz Festival (KLIJF) at University Malaya than the tribute to the legendary Alfonso Soliano. 

25 years after his passing, his grand-daughter Rachel Guerzo, her brothers Don, Diosdado and Daniel together Lokman Aslam, Bihzu and Datin Paduka Julie Sudiro paid loving musical tribute to Alfonso.

Not to be outdone, Irene, Isabella, Connie, Valentino, Rizal, Tristano and Salvador Guerzo (The Solianos) also appeared onstage with a plethora of musical instruments to pay their personal tribute to Alfonso. What a multi-talented and artistically blessed this extended musical family is.

for more on Alfonso Soliano, click here

Since its inception KLIJF has grown from strength to strength, increasingly attracting a younger audience particularly Malaysian music students not only hungry for great jazz but eager to play it themselves.

The fourth KLIJF brought in 30 acts from all over the world to turn KL into a throbbing jazz hub for the weekend and entertained an estimated 4,000 people over four-days with the rare sensory pleasure of watching world greats like Eric Wyatt (New York based Saxophonist)

for more on Eric, click here

Ezra Brown (Saxophone, keyboards, music director and arranger)

 for more on Ezra, click here

Benito Gonzalez (Venezuelan jazz pianist)

for more on Benito, click here

Chieli Minucci (American adult contemporary, smooth jazz guitarist, composer, music producer, and arranger) with his band Special Efx

for more on Chieli, click here

The Frederik Koster Quartet (German group consisting of Frederick Köster on trumpet, Matthias Akeo Nowak on bass, Ralf Gessler on drums and Tobias Hoffman on guitar)

 

for more on Frederick, click here

Tizer (American composer Lao Tizer on keyboards, drummer/percussionist Raul Pineda, multi-instrumentalist Steve Nieves and bassist Rufus Philpot)

 for more on Tizer, click here

Patrick Terbrack (jazz saxophonist/composer)

Najwa Mahiaddin (singer-songwriter)

More on the KLIJF 2015 artists

 As KLIJF’s main focus has always been on John Coltrane, one of the most cited influences in jazz history, the festival naturally culminated with the John Coltrane All Stars Band, fronted by Wyatt, supported by Gonzalez, Eddie Layman, bassist Christy Smith, Terbrack and Armand Malik.

In closing, Eric Wyatt said it best when he enthused “Credit to the KLIJF organizers who’ve got a lot of respect from the young musicians here”  

Each artiste went on to praise festival organizer Rodin JS Kumar for his initiative to hold the event at the prestigious Dewan Tunku Chancellor in University Malaya as this provided a channel for young aspiring musicians see, hear and meet prominent figures of the jazz culture worldwide.

Understandably, festival co-founder Maizon Omar was happy that their main responsibility to present world class jazz performances coupled with great sound and clear visibility was a resounding success, calling KLIJF 2015 “A distinctively great melting pot of jazz”

Indeed, Rodin and Maizon have consistently pulled off amazingly successful KLIJF not once but four times now, and we wish them continued success for many more to come.

If there was one bug in the ointment it was this - our thoroughly enjoyable time spent with Jazz luminaries was somewhat numbed by the arctic force air conditioning of the Dewan Tunku Chancellor. We’ll remember to bring our winter jackets next year.