Miri's merry world of jazz

MANILA, Philippines - American jazz icon Louis Armstrong once said, “If you have to ask what jazz is, you’ll never know.”

Indeed, like love and other age-old philosophies, the rich history of jazz can never be defined, only described and, at best, enjoyed.

This is just what some 8,000 music aficionados did in the recent 5th Miri International Jazz Festival (MIJF) – forget the academics of jazz and just jam with the globe’s hottest jazz acts in this quaint Malaysian city in the exotic island of Borneo.

Incepted in 2006 by the Sarawak Tourism Board (STB), the festival featured a powerhouse cast of bands which showcased jazz, blues, fusion, Latin, world music, to bring the vibrant world of jazz in this city largely known for its indigenous Iban and Melanau culture.

The cradle of the petroleum industry ever since Malaysia first struck the black gold on a hilltop oil well in 1910, Miri has become a haven for expatriates from oil conglomerates. It is also a favorite watering hole and recreation getaway of fun-loving professionals from neighboring Brunei.

This international flavor gave birth to an assorted musical heritage. Hence, when state authorities mounted the first musical extravaganza four summers ago, its genre could be no other than jazz whose universal language cuts across continents.

Festival artistic director Randy Raine-Reusch said the musical spectrum of the performers was deliberately diverse to capture as broad an audience as possible, and keep them looking for something new every year.

Bands from Asia, Europe and the Americas traveled half a world away for a 60-minute gig, with one group enduring a 50-hour point-to-point journey.

But the grueling transcontinental travel hardly mattered for Norbert Susemihl and his European-American New Orleans All Stars, which transported the crowd to the mecca of jazz with their well-applauded numbers with an unmistakably New Orleans beat.

Thai quintet Mellow Motif opened the festivity with signature jazz hits and original compositions. The band, which has been touring Asia, provided a whiff of fresh air from the political turmoil-ridden kingdom.

European acts mesmerized the audience with contrasting styles – the sensual music of sultry Dutch pianist Amina Figarova and her Sextet, and Swiss guitarist Jeremy Tordjman’s fusion of rock, blues and funk.

American percussionist and vocalist Michael Shrieve, once a child prodigy and former drummer of Santana, electrified the crowd with his Spellbinder Band.

Shining among the solo acts was Brazilian crossover violinist Ricardo Herz, composer and arranger who brought a broad spectrum of melodies ranging from Northeastern rhythms to choro, samba and its variables, waltzes, sorrel and xotes. He infused jazz, folk, classical and world traditions to create a whirlwind of musical delights.

Indonesia’s SimakDialog band displayed its masterful mixture of traditional gamelan instruments and modern jazz, giving their music a distinct Asian character.

In between sets, Australian DJ sensation Syta BB rocked the house with her eclectic selection, giving the crowd an opportunity to do ballroom dancing.

Organizers saved the best for last – American blues icon and Grammy Awards Hall of Famer James Cotton and his Blues Band. Dubbed “Superharp,” the septuagenarian, largely inspired by the legendary BB King, drew the loudest roar from baby boomers, hardcore blues lovers and practically everyone who just enjoyed the enchanting sound of his harmonica.

According to STB chief executive Dato Rashid Khan, the Sarawak state government hopes to make the festival among Asia’s leading tourism-driven musical events, and Miri a recognized jazz mecca this side of the world.

He added that it is also being positioned as a “resort city” because of the integrated leisure developments, yacht club, and a host of first-rate tourist facilities.

Miri’s tourist magnet is the iconic Gunung Mulu National Park, a Unesco World Heritage Site, which is known for the Sarawak Chamber, the world’s biggest cave chamber. It is also endowed with eco-tourism wonders such as the National Parks of Loagan Bunut and Lambir, Niah Caves, and coral reefs off the South China Sea.

Sarawak also hosted two other international musical events this month – the Borneo Cultural Festival in Sibu town and the 13-year-old Rainforest World Music Festival in the capital city of Kuching, regarded as Asia’s Woodstock.

As the late American brass band master John Philip Sousa said, “Jazz will endure just as long people hear it through their feet instead of their brains.”

With the crowd stomping their feet to the beat of the drums, jazz will surely be a staple in Miri’s merry world of music.