Kota Kinabalu Jazz Festival a mecca for jazz aficionados

For two days, the covered tennis courts of Sutera Harbour Marina Golf and Country Club were packed with jazz aficionados, enthralled to the renditions of Mia Palencia In Good Company, and sounds from Moscow Fish, Humanfolk and Kekko Fornarelli Trio among others.

The Kota Kinabalu Jazz Festival (KKJF) held on June 14 and 15 returned bigger, better and bolder this time around with rhythm and beats that offers festival goers a toe-tapping good time.

Apart from the wonderful music showcased from 7 pm to 11 pm on both nights, local and foreign jazz lovers were served with thousands bottles of beer sponsored by Carlsberg.

Among the performers on Friday night were Funkafize, Albert Sirimal, Lazz United, Kekko Fornarelli Trio, Moscow Fish, Shanghai Jazz Redefined with Janet Lee and Johnny Alegre Trio.

On the second night, Kian Kok School Big Band, Appy Tot, Gee Mojina and Elixir, KK Jazz Half Marching Brass Band, Mega Boogies Blues Buster, Mia Palencia in Good Company, HumanFolk and Moscow Fish showcased their enthusiasm for all forms of improvised music.

The festival, which is in its seventh year, has so far proved a reliable mirror of international trends in jazz music.

Moscow Fish, one of the international bands performed an electronic and an acoustic show that wowed the audience with their unique and very versatile music.

In a short introduction during the event, Moscow Fish thanked the organizers of KKJF for giving them the chance to perform.

“I am very thankful for being invited to Sabah, and I am very touched with the appreciation of music by the people here. It is very rare in the world,” she said.

Meanwhile, Sabah-born Mia Palencia and her group, Mia Palencia In Good Company, as expected succeeded in mesmerizing the audience who had been waiting year long for the event.

On the first day, Mia sang several jazz numbers while on Saturday she swayed the audience with her rendition of sexy bossa nova songs.
Mia Palencia In Good Company is a unique collaboration between two islands. While pursuing her music degree on the Island Of Tasmania, Australia, Mia approached Tasmanian Jazz arranger and keyboardist Kelly Ottaway with the idea of forming an ensemble to explore both her original music and improvised jazz.

The duo recruited double bassist Hamish Houston and drummer Liam O’Leary, thus completing the line-up.

“Super excited at our Malaysian debut tonight. Hope to see some friendly faces in the audience,” wrote Mia, in her Facebook page before the show.

GruAvenue, featuring Poova Pachciak, concluded the two-days event with singer, songwriter and composer Poova showcasing her powerful voice.