Love Jazz? Don’t Miss Singapore International Jazz Festival 2014

The Singapore International Jazz Festival 2014 (‘Sing Jazz’), a celebration of jazz music, is set to kick off 27 February through 2 March 2014 at Marina Bay Sands.

Featuring jazz and R&B legends Jamie Cullum, Natalie Cole, James Morrison, India Arie and Incognito, together with upcoming international stars such as Gregory Porter, Allen Stone and Dirty Loops, all performing alongside a host of regional and local jazz icons, the likes of Glenn Fredly, Jeremy Monteiro, Melissa Tham and Alemay Fernandez, Sing Jazz is slated to be Singapore’s largest ever jazz and jazz-influenced music festival.

Organised by Orbis Festival Productions, in partnership with Marina Bay Sands (the Official Venue Partner) and the Java International Jazz Festival (‘Java Jazz’), Sing Jazz is aiming to invigorate the local jazz and music scene, boosting the following for this most creative and inspiring of live music forms, while at the same time helping to nurture and encourage the development of home-grown jazz talent.

The Festival kicks off with Jamie Cullum headlining an opening gala performance on 27 February at the Grand Theatre. This will be followed by three days of back-to-back performances by some of the biggest names in jazz and R&B, at the main stage of the outdoor Event Plaza. Meanwhile, satellite stages situated throughout the destination will showcase the wealth of regional and local talent, and provide the opportunity for jamming late into the night, so capturing the true essence of live jazz.

“The music scene in Singapore is refreshingly eclectic,” said David Lyndon Smith, Artistic Director of Orbis Festival Productions and professional orchestral musician himself. “The community of jazz-lovers here has been growing steadily, evident from the increased following and appreciation of live jazz over recent years. Our aim is for Sing Jazz to further  energise this process and establish itself as Singapore’s definitive platform for the exposition of jazz in all its forms, showcasing both the music and its exponents who, for their spontaneous creativity, must surely rank among the most talented of musical artists.”

The Festival also takes seriously its social and developmental mission of nurturing emerging jazz talent in Singapore and the region. Sing Jazz will host clinics led by Festival artists, and facilitate an exchange of local talent with its counterpart festival, Java Jazz. It will also pledge Sin$1 from each commercial ticket sale towards the Foundation of Arts & Social Enterprise’s on-going training and grooming of up-and-coming jazz musicians. Moreover, Orbis Festival Productions is committed to founding a residential ‘Jazz Academy’ that will see leading exponents of the art tutoring and mentoring aspiring young jazz artists.

“Java Jazz already attracts well over 100,000 attendees each year to Indonesia. Together with Sing Jazz, we intend to make SE Asia the world’s premiere jazz destination,” said Peter Gontha of Java Jazz. “Our distinctive offerings enable us to showcase international and regional jazz at its very best, albeit with a uniquely Asian vibe.”

Tickets for Sing Jazz are now on sale. Audiences will be treated to a concert at Marina Bay Sands Grand Theatre on 29 November by British acid jazz icons Incognito, who will also return to perform among the other award-winning artists on the stages of Sing Jazz 2014 in February.