JOHOR BARU: The four-day JB Jazz Fest kicked off last night at the DoubleTree by Hilton here, making this a jazzy weekend gathering for Jazz lovers.
The inaugural festival, the first among a series of festivals under the (Johor Baru International Festival City) umbrella, is an initiative of the Johor Society for the Performing Arts (JSPA) to propel Johor Baru as a leading festival city in the region.
It features saxophonist Sadao Watanabe, touted as a titan in the world of jazz music, and other international and local jazz musicians including Singaporean musician Jeremy Monteiro, Italy's a-cappella group Mezzotono, and local greats such as David Gomes, Junji Delfino and Razak Rahman.
Tunku Puteri Tun Aminah Sultan, the Sultan of Johor's daughter, who is also the royal patron of the JSPA, said the JB Jazz Fest, which ends tomorrow will put Johor Baru on the world map, drawing arts lovers and tourists to Johor Baru, a city that is rich in arts as well as family-oriented urban heritage.
She said this in her speech during a press preview last night.
Also present was Johor Tourism Department (JTD) director Badrul Hisham Kassim, who said the event is collaboration between the private sector and a non-governmental organisation, with the support of the several government agencies.
"Representatives of the Sarawak Tourism Board are at the festival. We are working closely in promoting several tourism products, namely, mangroves and national parks.
"Yesterday, some of the musicians also visited the Pasir Gudang World Kite Festival," Badrul Hisham said, adding that the Chingay procession will be held in Johor Baru in about two week's time.
JSPA, into its 12th year now, which makes the JB Arts Festival the longest-running arts festival in the country, has also lined up the JB Classical Music Festival in May, the JB Film Festival and the Unity Drums Festival, both in June, the 12th JB Arts and Fringe Festival (September) and the JB Food and Visual Arts Festival (October to December).