Hong Kong International Jazz Festival 2009 (中文版)

[Hong Kong, 20 August 2009] This autumn, jazz lovers in Hong Kong will be treated to an exciting programme featuring concerts and workshops by renowned jazz musicians from around the world at the Hong Kong International Jazz Festival from 1 to 15 October, 2009.

The opening show will be held at the Civic Square, Roof-floor at ELEMENTS, which hosts live jazz performances by local artists throughout the year. As a major sponsor of the Hong Kong Internaiontal Jazz Festival 2009, ELEMENTS is pleased to help bring such world-class music performances to a wider audience in Hong Kong. 

Running in its second consecutive year, this edition’s Hong Kong International Jazz Festival will see a strong line up of veteran jazz players from the east and west including Japanese jazz idol Yosuke Onuma, and BConnected from Switzerland with Chinese instrumentalist. And one of the highlights of the Festival is the first-time cross-over performance between French accordionist Richard Galliano and our local guitar hero Eugene Pao on 15 October.

Galliano interprets, composes and orchestrates an eclectic style of jazz which blends swing, tango, French bistro waltzes, ballads, improvisations and more. Over the years Galliano had played with Chet Baker, Ron Carter, Joe Zawinul, Al Foster, Pierre Michelot, to name but a few.

Undoubtedly the most recognized jazz musician in Hong Kong, Pao has released a total of eight feature albums since 1996 and has worked with include Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Freddie Hubbard, McCoy Tyner, Terumasa Hino, Jackie McClean, Martin Tayor, James Moody, Eric Marienthal, Bob Berg, Bill Bruford, Jeff Berlin, Bobby MeFerrin amongst others.

The rest of the line up for the Festival comprises of renowned musicians from the Americas, Europe and Asia including Henderson Berlin Chambers Trio featuring Scott Henderson, Jeff Berlin & Dennis Chambers, Jan Lundgren, Enrico Rava, Tim Garland and Arve Henrikson, alongside our younger generation from Hong Kong, like Tsang Tak Hong, and the come back of Saturday Night Jazz Orchestra, and more.

Hailing from the US, Scott Henderson has been named number one Jazz Guitarist twice, by Guitar World in 1991 and Guitar Player in 1992. With more than a dozen album released under his belt, Henderson has proven himself as a world class player and composer. Although Henderson claims to be more of a blues-rock player, it was the influence of jazz that led him to the style of playing and composing that he is now famous for.

Swedish pianist Jan Lundgren had his first piano lessons at age five. After a long period of classical training, Lundgren discovered jazz more or less by chance in the late 1980’s. Lundgren’s debut album “Conclusion” was released in 1994. The following year saw the formation of the Jan Lundgren Trio who recorded seven well-received and commercially successful albums including the 1997 “Swedish Standards” that became a bestseller and reached a place in the Swedish pop charts. 

Enrico Rava is undoubtedly the most internationally acknowledged Italian jazzman. In forty years of his career as trumpet player and composer, he has produced more than a hundred recordings. Since his first album as a leader in 1972, Rava has performed with well-known musicians such as Enrico Pieranunzi, John Abercrombie, Miroslav Vitous, Richard Galliano, Lee Konitz and Pat Metheny. Rava has been elected best musician in the annual referendum conducted by "Musica Jazz" and has also won the title in the "best group" and "best Italian album" categories. 

Tim Garland is widely recognised as one of the UK’s most successful musical exports working in jazz and new music. He is also known for his innovative bass clarinet playing and for his prolific output as composer. Much of his output reflects interests beyond conventional jazz boundaries and he is increasingly acknowledged for large ensemble writing including many orchestral pieces. He was voted "Musician of the Year" by the 2006 Cross-Parliamentary Jazz Society.

A total of 17 concerts with closed to 100 artists and crew, will take place in 5 different venues across Hong Kong, namely Backstage, Dada Lounge, Elements, Hong Kong Cultural Centre concert hall and Shatin Town Hall Piazza.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Vicky Wong at 983 55321
Iris Fung at 9772 6116