Jazzy

Finally, the valley's biggest jazz event is back. Sunrise Jazz Festival is back to Mont Kiara again. This outdoor jazz festive is always so happening because it features the big names in local jazz scene, and the most important thing is, it's FREE. :D This is why it shouldn't be missed by all jazz lovers here. Hehe, and of course I attended the show last saturday.

Sunrise Jazz is quite important to me as it's the show that made me fell in love with jazz when I first went to watch the show last year. Anyway, this post is not about the show last year. Ha.

Me and my music lover buddy went there very early as we know the place will be very crowded if we go there on time. So we just sat at a table with good stage view and waited for the show to begin. While waiting, a member of MNS (Malaysia Nature Society) approached us to collect signatures to stop government from logging in Malaysia's oldest rainforest. Salute to all the nature defenders out there.

After long awaiting with nothing to do there, finally the show started with Sharizan Borhan & Swing Inc on stage. To keep it short, let's start with some photos.

Sharizan has smooth voice, and he manage to capture everybody's attention with his sense of humour. A successful entertainer indeed. Can you imagine how he 'inserted' Ham Chin Peng inside Spiderman's theme song?

Sharizan is backed up by 'Swing Inc', which consists of Julian the saxophonist, bassist 'Fly', Tok Khon the keyboardist, and John Thomas, the brilliant drummist. Didn't expect to see them so early, as I thought they will only come out at the last programme of the night. Btw, they played their role well as the back up band, as well as showing their extraordinary skill in a few solo parts.

The next performance features Shelley Leong & Jazz Odyssey.

Not much comment on this, personally feel that the best player during this session is Alda Tan, the bassist.
This is the first time I finally see a female drummer on stage. Shelley named her 'the grooviest chick in town' :D It's great to see girls playing drum on stage. Hmm, dreaming about some day I will have the ability to at least play in a band. :D Yo, you know who you are, faster get our dreams come true woh. :D

Alas, it's John Thomas & Funk Mob! Haha.. this is what I called the true great musicians on stage.

Our great local saxophonist, Julian.


The skinny bassist, Fly.


Julian and the beautiful vocalist, Noryn Aziz.


The great guest guitarist, father of John Thomas, Jose Thomas.


The talented drummist in town, John Thomas.


Father and son. :D

The others not shown in the photos are Tok Khon on keyboards, and Wan Zafuan on the guitar. (Paiseh, couldn't capture good pics of them from my view).

They challenged several difficult songs, but everyone of them did very well to make every audience there high spirited for the whole show. The groovy songs, and the dazzling solo was really fascinating that the audiences asked for encore after the last song, although it was already almost 1am midnight.

It has been a long time since I last saw John's performance. That's the time when I was impressed and suprised that drumming can be so fun by playing jazz music. I went to learn for a few lessons from him many months ago.. (Sorry for disappearing for classes suddenly, FYP left me no free time at all for drum practise session, and I know it'll be useless to go for lesson without practising the previous exercises he gave) Hopefully when I'm settle down after work, I'll have time to practise and enough money to pay for the lessons :D

I won't ask for more, I will be very very grateful if I have 10% of his skill. (Ha, I'm still very greedy eh)

Miss my wine wine.. You must be very lonely in the studio :D To show my apology, I'll expose you to the public :D

Very noisy though, taken using a phone camera few years ago. Ha.

I will not give up drumming easily.. (Reminding + hallucinating myself)