Incredible lineup at Colombo Jazz Fest
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Mercedes Benz Colombo Jazz Festival, comes alive on the 18th and 19th of February at the Galle Face hotel, is a Mainstage production. Following on the immense success of its inaugural festival in 2016, this year’s event has expanded to cover two days with over 80 artistes. The concept behind the festival is music, culinary and art event, that promises to combine and showcase the talents of the best international jazz artistes as well as artistes of national renown.
The heritage property the Galle Face Hotel, in Colombo, will welcome global music fans to jazz-centric celebration, where fans of all types of jazz-related music rub shoulders with aficionados of the genre. Jazz is a genre that evokes such powerful and varied emotion, and it strongly emphasizes the experimentation of sound and musicianship. When putting together artistes such as this, Mainstage Events, the organsers aim to capture all that diversity, all that makes this art form so beautiful, in a weekend of performances.
The lineup is the culmination of the festival’s commitment to bringing a diverse and unique group of jazz musicians to Colombo, all flown in courtesy of festival partner SriLankan Airlines, to deliver a collection of performances that includes, exciting new artistes, international and local jazz legends and groups all connected around presenting unique musical experiences in a first for Colombo.
At a press conference at the Galle Face hotel the Festival Founder Gehan Fernando along with partners DIMO Lanka General Manager Sales Rajeev Pandithage, Etisalat Lanka CEO Sulaiman Alkaabi, SriLankan Airlines CEO Suren Ratwatte, Managing Director Sugar Restaurants Dinesh Wijesinghe, Spa Ceylon Co Founder Shalin Balasuriya, Galle Face Hotel General Manager Deni Duki and Olu Water CEO Shalindra Fernando announced the impressive lineup.
Diesel and Motor Engineering PLC (DIMO) with Mercedes-Benz, has partnered with the Colombo Jazz Festival for the second time since the events inception last year.
The renowned group headlining the festival is Incognito, which has been labelled as everything from pop band to Latin jazz ensemble, from ‘70s-styled funk crew to an acid-jazz collaboration.
It is best defined in terms of its leader, guitarist-vocalist-composer Jean Paul (Bluey) Maunick. Over the course of the ensemble’s history and its 16 albums, Bluey, has encompassed a variety of forms of music anchored all the while by his original inspirations: Herbie Hancock, Earth, Wind and Fire and especially Stevie Wonder.
Another legend performing is Mud Morganfield who describes the resemblance of the tone and timber of his voice to that of his father’s voice as a double edged sword.
The Kevin Davy Quartet, Kevin Davy is a London-based trumpeter, composer, arranger and bandleader. Geoffrey Fernando of famed Sri Lankan band Purple Rain will also perform. Jerome Speldewindes powerful vocal styling makes for a compelling combination when paired with his guitar skill and is really one to watch from the stellar lineup of local artistes.
Brown Sugar, regulars at 41 Sugar are one of the islands up and coming jazz sextet whose brilliantly quirky performances have made them a firm favourite in the scene.
From afternoon to midnight the Mercedes Benz Colombo Jazz Festival will all take place at the iconic Galle Face hotel, designed to meet festival-goers’ every need.
As there are a limited number of tickets available, early booking is advisable. Tickets will be available from Sugar Bistro Crestcat and Odel, 41 Sugar, PR and the Galle Face Hotel. Also be purchased on line at www.colombojazzfestival.com .Tickets are priced at Rs 5000/- for a day pass for either day and Rs 8000/- for the weekend pass which includes entwry for both days, children (under 12) are half price and toddlers are free.
