JANEK GWIZDALA PROJECT (USA / NORWAY)

Website: www.janekgwizdala.com
YOUTUBE Link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi-uJbY2lD4

Bass Player and Band Leader, Janek Gwizdala, has assembled a Quartet comprising of some of the most modern voices in improvised music today for The Janek Gwizdala Project, bringing together the talents of outstanding piano player and singer / songwriter Oli Rockberger, Swiss world renowned drumming legend Jojo Mayer and the completely unique and constantly searching voice of Norwegian Audun Waage on trumpet.

Together, these four musicians, coming from a Cultural melting pot of backgrounds, combine as a unit that asks musical questions on a global scale. With deep roots in the tradition of many genres of music including Jazz, Electronica, R&B, Pop and Folk, each individual in the group has performed and recorded with many established names in the music industry. The Janek Gwizdala Project challenges the boundaries of improvised music whilst never losing sight of melodic expression in it’s most basic song form.

“In The Country’s performance in The Penang Island
Jazz Festival
was supported by The Royal Norwegian Embassy”

STUDNITZKY TRIO (GERMANY)

Website: www.studnitzky.de
YOUTUBE Link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6WUQgW2bCI

Sebastian Studnitzky is one of Germany’s most engaged Jazz musicians. His warm and balanced sound and phrasing on the trumpet and piano makes him an internationally demanded sideman for Nils Landgren, Rebekka Bakken, Mezzoforte and Wolfgang Haffner.

After countless tours and festival appearances worldwide, the multi-instrumentalist has now taken the time to formulate his own music in a trio concept which includes Paul Kleber on Bass and Sebastian Merk on Drums. Here, the best of Jazz and Pop is combined with risky organic solos and current airy grooves, beneficial creativity and hooking abstractions in a package that comes in a very charming and amazingly honest way.

“Studnitzky Trio’s performance at The Penang Island Jazz Festival
is supported by Goethe Institut”

SIZHUKONG (TAIWAN)

Website: www.myspace.com/sizhukong
YOUTUBE Link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MayRBbtB26g

A unique ensemble that plays a new form of Chinese music with the soul of jazz is how the group, Sizhukong, has been described.

Led by Taiwan born Composer / Pianist Yuwen Peng, who received her jazz training at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, Yuwen, together with Toshi Fujii (drums, percussion), Alex Wu: (erhu, percussion), Joyce Chen (liuqin, ruan), Chihping Huang (dizi, xiao) and Martijn Vanbuel (bass) released Sizhukong’s debut album in 2005 and have since performed in a number of notable Music Festivals in the Region.

Sizhukong breathes new styles to traditional songs in combining traditional Chinese and modern jazz instrumentation by taking traditional Chinese music into the modern age and transporting jazz and other modern styles back into the past.

“Sizhukong’s performance at The Penang Island Jazz Festival is supported by The Council of Cultural Affairs of Taiwan”

CHARLIE JUNG BAND (SOUTH KOREA)

Blues influenced Band Leader and Guitarist Charlie Jung performed for many years in the California state area as a sideman before forming The Charlie Jung Trio. In the course of his musical journey, Charlie has collaborated with a number of musicians, among which were Carol Rodgers, Sid Jacobs, Jeanmak Belkadi, renowned Korean jazz pianist - Cho Yoon Sund and Vocalist Joon Lee.

In 2006, Charlie recorded his first album “Alone Together” at a Hollywood Studio before relocating back to South Korea and in 2008, released a new jazz album entitled “Upside Down”. Performing in a modern blues mix with Acoustic Jazz and Electric Blues sound, the other members of the Charlie Jung Band are Park Jae Hong (Vocals), Sung Gimoon (Piano), Sa Myung Hoon (Bass) and Kim Min Kyu (Drums).

BUZZ BROS BAND (HOLLAND)

Website: www.buzzmusic.nl
YOUTUBE Link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCJV7LQgYb4

Buzz Bros Band is a unique formation from Holland whose name is taken from the Founders of the group which are brothers – Guitarist / Composer Marnix Busstra and Piano Player and Fender Rhodes specialist Berthil Busstra. Together with a selected rhythm section that greatly complements their musical style - Drummer, Chris Strik, who only uses the brushes even for the heavier rhythms and accomplished bass player Frans van Geest, the band has been considered as groundbreakers in the Dutch music scene.

The music of the band is easily recognizable and the four members of the group are among the top musicians in Holland. Since their formation, the band has performed in many concerts and Festivals in Europe and Asia. Their brand of music has been termed as “adventurous acoustic funky jazz with touches of world music elements”.

Buzz Bros Band’s performance in The Penang Island Jazz Festival is supported by The Royal Netherlands Embassy

DAINIUS PULAUSKAS GROUP (LITHUANIA)

Website: http://mic.interdata.lt/en/persons/info/pulauskasgroup

Leader and Piano Player, Dainius Pulauskas, who graduated from Vilnius Conservatoire and Lithuanian Academy of Music is noted as one of the most significant contemporary jazz musicians in Lithuania. Recipient of a number of jazz awards - Dainius formed the Dainius Pulauskas Group in 1994.

Performing original music written by Dainius, the other members of the group consist of seasoned and established jazz Lithuanian musicians - Valerijus Ramoska (trumpet & flugelhorn); Rimantas Brazaitis (tenor sax); Kestutis Vaiginis (alto & soprano saxes); Leonid Sinkarenko (bass) and Linas Buda (drums). The Dainius Pulauskas Group, whose music has been described as “a powerful pulse of modern jazz”, have released many recordings and performed in many concerts and Festivals all over the Europe, USA and Asia.

Dainius Pulauskas Group’s performance in The Penang Island Jazz Festival is supported by The Ministry of Culture of The Republic of Lithuania

PAULO BELLINATI & CRISTINA AZUMA (BRAZIL)

Websites:
- www.bellinati.com
- www.myspace.com/paulobellinati
- http://cristina.azuma.free.fr/

Brazilian guitar duo Paulo Bellinati and Cristina Azuma are both highly accomplished and internationally awarded musicians in their own solo careers. Paulo Bellinati, a graduate from the Conservatory Dramatico e Musical of Sao Paulo and Conservatory of Geneva, is noted as one of Brazil’s most accomplished contemporary guitarists and has been voted as one of the top 10 Brazilian guitarists in the prestigious Guitar Player magazine poll. .

Cristina - a Doctor of Musicology from the Sorbonne University, who possesses a strong background of classical and baroque guitar styles, has performed with Paulo on numerous occasions and Paulo has this to say about her, “We have been playing together for more then 20 years and she is my best interpreter by far, as she understands Brazilian music as well as the classical and baroque guitar styles. It’s always a huge pleasure to share the stage with her”. Cristina plays a nylon string classical guitar and Paulo plays a very rare typical Brazilian serenade steel string guitar made in 1935 in Rio de Janeiro.

Paulo Bellinati and Cristina Azuma’s performance in The Penang Island Jazz Festival
is supported by The Embassy of Brazil

Photo by Gal Oppido

MICHELLE NICOLLE QUARTET (AUSTRALIA)

Website: www.michellenicolle.com
YOUTUBE Link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESqSq5yokyc

Arranger, Band Leader and Award-winning Jazz Vocalist, Michelle Nicolle’s interest in jazz began whilst singing with the University Adelaide Connection Jazz Choir. Hearing for the first time about Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Chet Baker, Michelle decided that this was the music that her heart wanted to follow and began her “jazz education” by learning the language of improvisation through chord changes by transcribing works of Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard, Charlie Parker, etc. She went on to study for her Associate Diploma of Jazz at the Elder Conservatorium, where!she describes as probably the most important 2 years of her musical life for her foundation as a career in jazz.

Her clear tone and impressive breath control voice which she works with apparent ease at clever, difficult and varied improvisations in a style that is truly her own, has seen her winning many awards, among which were the prestigious National Jazz Award at the Wangaratta InternationalJazz Festival in 1998 and the Australian Entertainment industry’s Mo Award – Jazz Vocalist of the year for 2001, 2003 & 2004. She has released a number of albums and performed in many Festivals in Europe and the Asia Pacific region with her backing group, which consist of some of the top Jazz musicians in Australia – Geoff Hughes (Guitar), Tom Lee (Double Bass) and Ronny Ferella (Drums)

“The Michelle Nicolle Quartet’s participation in the Penang Island Jazz Festival is supported by the Commonwealth through the Australia-Malaysia Institute of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade”

ISLAND PALM BEACH BOYS (MALAYSIA)

In recognition of the rich musical heritage of Penang during the 1940s to 1960s, when the Hawaiian Guitar and Hawaiian influenced styled music was a norm in many musical performances around the island, the Festival has initiated a project that will bring together a group of some of the more talented musicians from that era performing the style of music that was popularized by some of the household names in the Penang music scene such as Jimmy Boyle, Joe Rozells and Edwin Rajamoney in those days.

Comprising of multi talented William Scully on Hawaiian guitar, Leander Jeremiah and George Baum on guitars, Bonnie Jeremiah on bass, Douglas De Souza on drums, Alphonso Scully on ukulele and Ruby Rozells on vocals, The Island Palm Beach Boys will take the audience on a trip down Memory Lane with popular songs from that era arranged in a smooth Hawaiian jazzy style.

ORGANAMIX (SINGAPORE / THAILAND)

Website :
www.myspace.com/organamix
http://web.mac.com/fingerz/Jeremy_Monteiro_website/Welcome.html
YOUTUBE Link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx43hZghMoA

Organamix echoes, in a modern zestful approach, the great organ trios of Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff, and Jimmy Mcgriff playing the gamut of jazz styes of expressions from swinging classics, funky grooves, pulsating Latin Jazz, to sensitive ballads.

Pianist / Organist / Band Leader, Jeremy Monteiro, is a name synonymous with Jazz within the region and has to his credit, performed with many top names in the jazz industry in concerts and festivals all round the world. Jeremy’s band mates include two of the most refreshing young jazz musicians to appear on the Asian jazz scene in recent times - Guitarist Andrew Lim plays in the tradition of great guitarists such as Wes Montgomery and Grant Green while infusing a modernistic melodic approach and Drummer Hong Chanutr Techatana-nan (who is considered one of Thailand’s leading jazz drummers), is one of the few drummers in Asia, able to play in the cutting edge style of modern jazz drummers Bill Stewart and Ari Hoenig whilst infusing his own character into the mix.

“Organamix’s participation in the Penang Island Jazz Festival is
supported by The Composers and Authors Society of Singapore”

BAND OF BROTHERS (THAILAND)

Consisting of some of Thailand’s top jazz musicians, the Bangkok based Band of Brothers is led by two of the most established names in the Thai jazz scene - Hank The Groove on Vocals and Koh Mr. Saxman on Saxophones with a supporting section of 4 of the most talented up and coming musicians in the Thai jazz scene – Wichudej on Bass, Nat on Guitar, Sompop on Drums and Sakrin on piano / keyboards.

Joining the group on stage as a special guest is established and well known Trumpet Jazz Player - Steve Cannon.

With Hank’s soulful and bluesy vocals and charismatic Koh fronting the group, The Band of Brothers’ energetic and entertaining performance will take the audience on a journey through the World of Jazz with some of Koh’s originals and a mixture of Smooth Jazz, Funk, Rhythm & Blues tunes re-arranged in the band’s style of music.  

2009 Performers

It was a blast at the 6th edition of the Festival. The performers rocked the stage with all that jazz! Check them out here.

Supporting Events

The Fringe Stages is a must if the local jazz scene is what you are also looking for. You don't want to miss the Community Drum Circle too!

PIJF Young Talent Competition

Check out who won the overall winner here!

What better way to learn than getting advice and tips from the music masters themselves!