JSFA, Korea 韓國

Ji Young Lee 李智英 - Piano and Keyboard
Eun-Chang Choi 崔殷彰 - Bass
Dong Wook Lee 李東昱 - Saxophone
Junghyun Cho 曹正鉉 - Trumpet
Seungho Kim 金承浩 - Drums
Jaewon Jung 鄭宰沅 - Guitars

“The band can mix together unique qualities of both jazz and funk ……. As a result, the JSFA shows are fresh and exciting, never boring or mundane.” - Ian Paterson, All About jazz

Jazz Snobs Funk Addicts (JSFA) is a Seoul-based sextet co-led by pianist/keyboardist Jiyoung Lee and bassist Eunchang Choi. Its2009 debut JSFA mixed electro-acoustic jazz-funk and sweet-sounding contemporary jazz. In the hard-grooving second CD "Season 2: The Return of JSFA!!"(2013), Lee's Hiromi-esque staccato keyboard dabs, Jung’s guitar sounds like Scott Henderson’s, and Lee’s saxophone solos with real fire. In JSFA, everybody is grooving. JSFA is now one of the leading exponents of the jazz-funk genre.

以首爾為基地 JSFA，玩奏 Jazz funk 為主的六人組合 JSFA，是由一對夫婦檔，Jiyoung Lee 及 Eunchang Choi為中心人物，伙合了四位當今樂壇上的年青幼獅，全力猛攻這種節奏強勁，動力充沛而氣勢澎湃的當代爵士樂。2009 出版了首張唱片，便在全國 打響名堂，掀起一陣狂熱。經過四年的磨煉改進，去年泡制了第二張作品。成員的個人技術十分成熟，整體合作亦無懈可擊，硬實有力的聲勢使組合在 Funk Jazz 的世界中落實。韓風果然無處不在，JSFA 就告訴了我們，黃種人要 Funk 起來絕不會輸給美洲黑人的。

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/season-2-the-return-of-jsfa-jiyoung-lee-soundholic-review-by-ian-p
atterson.php#.U9tHnOOSySp

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/JSFA

Kurt Rosenwinkel Standards Trio| USA

Kurt Rosenwinkel | Guitar

Eric Revis | Bass

Justin Faulkner | Drums

Kurt Rosenwinkel has always given us music that has conveyed a sense of masterful story-telling and breathtakingly imaginative reach. His significance to the ever-evolving jazz tradition, in fact, transcends the oft-cited lineage of jazz guitar in much the same way that Thelonious Monk and Wayne Shorter impacted colleagues far beyond the scope of their respective instruments.

This one-time sideman in Joe Henderson and Gary Burton’s bands has spent most of his career perfecting an aerodynamic yet pensive style.  In the last decade, he has released a string of some of the most potent and original records that celebrate his status as “a 21-century innovator of new music.”

“There is a streak of otherworldliness in his playing, but also a sense of deep familiarity.”
--Nate Chinen, The New York Times

“Rosenwinkel’s music represents the sound of the future, just as bebop once did.”--Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune

樂手網頁：http://www.kurtrosenwinkel.com

Lars Danielsson LIBERETTO Trio, Sweden/Finland/Germany

Lars Danielsson - bass, cello

Iiro Rantala, Piano - Finland

Wolfgang Haffner, Drums - Germany

Lars Danielsson

Swedish bassist, cellist, composer and arranger Lars Danielsson is renowned and admired throughout the International jazz world for his lyrical playing and strong groove.

Lars Danielsson, born in 1958,he studied classical cello at the conservatory in Gothenburg, before changing to bass and to jazz. The "Lars Danielsson Quartet" with David Liebman, Bobo Stenson and Jon Christensen has received a lot of recognition and numerous awards during the 18 years of its existence. Danielsson has released ten solo-albums since 1980 with his quartet.

As Composer, producer and arranger, he has worked with Denmark’s Radio Concert Orchestra as well as the JazzBaltica Ensemble as a composer, arranger and producer.

Lars Danielsson has worked with Randy and Michael Brecker, John Scofield, Jack DeJohnette, Mike Stern, Billy Hart, Charles Lloyd, Terri Lyne Carrington and Dave Kikoski. Lars Danielsson has also been a member of the "Trilok Gurtu Group".

In 2007, he received commission for several pieces, like with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra featuring himself as a soloist together with Leszek Moždžer; with the NDR Big Band and Wolfgang Haffner for the JazzBaltica Festival 2007; and for a project with the Symphony Orchestra in St. Petersburg with Bugge Wesseltoft.

The 2008 release of Pasodoble (ACT 9458-2) in Poland was followed by a sales of more than 10,000 CDs and a subsequent Platinum Record Award. In this same year he was a member of the star-studded ensemble on the Vince Mendoza CD “Blauklang” and is nominated for a Grammy.

http://www.larsdanielsson.com/

Iiro Rantala

Finnish pianist Iiro Rantala was born in Helsinki in 1970.   He studied piano in the jazz department of Sibelius Academy and classical piano at the Manhattan School of Music. He is one of the best known Finnish jazz pianists, both in Finland and abroad. Rantala is a pianist and composer with Trio Töykeät, a Finnish jazz trio, which was well received when performing in Hong Kong back in 2005.  It has performed more than 2000 concerts in 40 countries, before dis-banding in 2008.  

Iiro has composed some classical pieces, most notably the Concerto for Piano and Concerto in G♯ΔA♭.   In 2008, he released the album Elmo with his new formation, the Iiro Rantala New Trio. The members of the trio are Rantala (piano), Marzi Nyman (guitar) and Felix Zenger (beatbox).

Iiro also maintained the roles as Artistic director for the Sipoo Kalkkijazz, Dubrovnik Jazz Clubin, and the Kapsäkki Jazz Piano Festival, and the Goodwill ambassador for Finnish Unicef  since 1994.

www.iirorantala.fi/jl/

Wolfgang Haffner

Wolfgang Haffner started playing drums and piano at the age of six. After finishing school in 1983 he began his career as a professional musician in the German French Jazz Ensemble, conducted by the Jazz legend Albert Mangelsdorff.  Haffner later became the drummer in Klaus Doldingers’s “Passport“, with whom he played for 11 years, touring Europe and South Africa. From 1994 to1995 he was the drummer in the Band of one of the greatest female singers of all times, Chaka Khan.  In 1994 he joined the US Fusion Superband “METRO” with Chuck Loeb, Mitch Forman and Anthony Jackson.

Haffner worked with many great Jazz Artists including Pat Metheny, Michael & Randy Brecker, Woody Shaw, Roy Hargrove, Johnny Griffin, Cassandra Wilson, Joe Pass, Bob James, Joe Lovano, Clark Terry, McCoy Tyner, Art Farmer, Pee Wee Ellis, Esbjörn Svensson, Joe Sample, Robben Ford... to name a few.

In 2002 Haffner formed the Wolfgang Haffner Band which toured in Europe featuring music of his earlier albums “Music“ & “Urban Life“. When not performing with his own Band he plays with the Nils Landgren Funk Unit, and with Till Brönner. Haffner has played on about 400 Recordings, including ten albums under his own name.

wolfganghaffner.wordpress.com/

Li Gao Yang Quartet,China/USA/Australia

Li Gao Yang - Saxophones & EWI

Jim Schneider - Piano

Peter Scherr - Bass

Cameron Reid - Drums

Gaoyang Lientered Middle School Affiliated to the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts and was major in MIDI Arranger.

In addition to studying the courses, Li is dedicated to saxophone and improvisation and has written a book called 《The Introduction of Saxophone》. He has rich experience working with famous performers of saxophone around the world and participated in various festivals around Beijing and Shanghai. In June, 2010, he took part in the work of adapting the nursery rhyme 《A Bird》 to a saxophone version and acted as the saxophone player in the Fourteenth CCTV Young Singer Grand Prix. In the end he helped Fujia Cao, the singer, win the silver award of the contest.

Li is active in the music circles in Beijing. He performs as the chief alto saxophonist in Beijing Jungle Big Band (former Beijing Jazz Band)、 CD Blues Swing Band and Afrokoko Roots, and establishes his own band Gaoyang Li Trio and Gaoyang Li Quartet. Li has been praised as the “jazz power with rich originality and strength” by the media.

Website: www.lgyjazz.com 

Partner:

Logic| Australia

Glenn Cannon | Guitar

Tim Wilson | Saxophone

Ben Vanderwal | Drums

Dane Alderson | Bass

Basically classic sax-centric and backed by a fusion guitar, modern and very melodic bass playing and rock-steady yet colourful druming, this Melbourne based quartet has been presenting us with their thoroughly enjoyable version of jazz/fusion/world music since their inception in 1999.

The compositions of Glenn Cannon and Tim Wilson stem from diverse musical influences, including jazz, drum ‘n’ bass, Latin, classical, folk and pop music. This ensemble has supported international acts such as The Yellowjackets, and has performed throughout Australia and South East Asia at major jazz festivals including the Java Jazz Festival (Indonesia), Mosaic Music Festival (Singapore), Melbourne International Festival of Jazz, Electric Jazz Festival and the Ultimate Drummers’ Weekend.

Website: http://www.logiconline.net

Supporter

Luca Ciarla Quartet, Italy

Luca Ciarla - Violin, electric violin & loop machine

Vince Abbracciante - Accordion

Nicola Di Camillo - Double bass & acoustic bass

Francesco Savoretti - Percussions & drums

Luca Ciarla is one of the most creative and surprising Italian violinists nowadays. His music easily transcends the boundaries among genres to trace an innovative musical path, in perfect balance between written compositions and improvisation. 

Ciarla pursued a master’s degree at the Indiana University and completed a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Arizona.

Winner of several competitions in Italy and abroad, in 1999 Ciarla has been awarded by New York-based Chamber Music America.  He has been working with classical, jazz, folk and even rock musicians such as Greg Cohen, Daniele Sepe, Joshua Bell, Edgar Mayer, Danilo Rea, Sylvain Gagnon, Andrea Piccioni, Simone Zanchini, and many more.

His unique style has led him to successfully perform in countless festivals and concert series of jazz, classical and world music festivals in more than thirty countries.

“Luca Ciarla has wooed the classical, jazz and folk crowds with his originality.” - Cover Magazine (Hong Kong)

Website: www.lucaciarla.com

Support:

Lucero-Fernandes-Gagnon Trio USA /India /Canada 美國/印度/加拿大

Nicholas Bouloukos  Jezrael Lucero - Piano
Anthony Fernandes - Drums
Sylvain Gagnon - Bass

Jezrael Lucero, Piano – The Philippines

Perfect pitch is just one of the many remarkable things about Lucero. According to his dad – who passed away a few years back – the musician was singing Sinatra’s Strangers in the Night at the age of 13 months; he was playing classical concertos on the piano at two; and he’s been gigging at hotels and appearing on TV shows since he was four. As well as being a tremendously gifted jazz pianist, whose fingers can prance like praying mantises or scramble like frenzied locusts on a keyboard, he’s a singer, arranger, drummer, bass-player, and guitarist; plus he’ll kick your assin NBA Live on the PlayStation.

One more thing – he has been utterly blind since his premature birth on May 1, 1985.

But he doesn’t see that as a handicap. “No!” he replies immediately at the suggestion. “No, never.”
“I would think blindness, it will help you develop your inner strength, which is the most important thing in your life as you grow up.”

Lucero calls it a gift, but it’s one that didn’t come easy. His father – “a real bad-assed teacher” – subjected the musician to smacks and cigarette burns from a young age as he honed his skill. “Most of the time he turned himself into a master, not a father,” says Lucero.

Despite some resentment, however, Lucero says he owes his success to his dad and God. “As you grow old, you understand that everything your father did for you is so you can be tough and live in this real world. It’s not a world of happiness and pleasure all the time.” Even when speaking of difficult subjects, the smile never fades from his face.

These days in Hong Kong, which has been his home for three years, Lucero dazzles Sunday afternoon guests in the lobby at the Four Seasons in Central, before heading over to the Martini Bar at Tsim Sha Tsui’s Royal Garden Hotel. He can often be found jamming at Peel Fresco after hours on Sundays, and he’s currently working on a project rearranging music from Duke Ellington with hip-hop beats.

“Disability is a disability if you think of it,” he says with characteristic defiance, adding that he doesn’t like the ‘I cannot do it’ attitude. “I really like adventure. I like to do things that everybody doesn’t think I can.”

Born to a musical family in India, Anthony Fernandes started a professional career at anearly age of 14. Moved to L.A, California in 1991 to study at the then Prestigious "DickGrove School Of Music". Moved to HK and teamed up with Asia's premiere guitaristEugene Pao at HK "Jazz Club" where he backed up numerous International renown artists.Besides, he has worked and recorded with over 100 Cantopop and Mandopop artist andrecorded over 800 albums till date.

出生在印度的一個音樂世家，14 歲便成為職業樂手的 Anthony，在美國著名的DickGrove School Of Music 以優越成績結業，其後移居香港，成為了本地樂壇上家傳戶曉的名字。曾合作過的音樂人跨越各類型，有爵士樂的 Eric Marienthal，RichieCole，Guy Barker，James Moody，有和香港管弦樂團及 Michel Legrand，JamesMorrison 的。亦曾和無數香港流行樂歌星合作及灌錄了過八百張以上的唱片。

http://zildjian.com/Artists/F/Anthony-Fernandez

Considered as one of the best Canadian bass player of its generation, Sylvainis a virtuoso of jazz bass playing styles ranging from rock to jazz, from SouthIndia, to African, Chinese, from funk to Latin music. Sylvain has recorded over150 albums, played on over 70 jingles, 10 movie soundtracks. In Hong Kong,he recorded and performed with local and international pop artists, also as amusical director for Theresa Carpio, Joyce Lee, etc.

龍小飛被認為是加拿大這一代中最出色的低音手之一，他擁有豐富的巡迴演出及錄音製作的經驗。他才藝橫溢，擅長彈奏的除了爵士樂外，對搖滾、放克、拉丁到印度、非洲音樂等皆甚有心得。他更曾與多位中外樂手合作，並曾替杜麗莎等歌星作音樂總監。

http://www.sylvaingagnon.net/

2 Oct 2015 Hong Kong City Hall, Theatre

Luo ning, Piano鋼琴

Marcus Ho, Bass低音

Nate Wong,, drums

羅寧在民族風情匯聚的新疆成長，四歲開始學習音樂，父親亲是他的啟蒙教師。年幼時得到了香港的鋼琴家陳陶金的指導，亦曾跟隨新疆藝術學院教授馬輝及王慶生學習樂理和聲學，英國皇家音樂學院教師斯蒂温·瑞斯繼續學習古典主義浪漫派鋼琴演奏。1996年底到了北京定居。於一次偶然的機會，跟隨了薩克斯手陸庭荃老師，在其樂隊裡同時學習及實踐演奏爵士钢琴。1998 年以來，羅寧一直在國際及國內的爵士及古典等舞台上活躍，並先後曾與Kenny Garrett, Jens Winther及Antonio Hart等同台交流及演出。在2008北京奧運會期間，受奥组委之邀演出了十一場爵士及古典的音樂會，包括獨奏及與外國樂手合作。而同時在奧運會場合表演的鋼琴手還有朗朗及李雲迪。2010往古巴藝術大學修讀期間，有幸能和格林美得主拉丁爵士樂綱琴手 Chucho Valdes學習。

Luo Ning was born in a music family in China and started his music journey at the age of 4. Since 1998, Luo has appeared in various settings playing not only jazz but also classical, pop and folk music. He also had the chance to play with jazz greats like Kenny Garrett, Jens Winther and Antony Hart  among others. Dating back to 1976, Luo Ning received the guidance by pianist Chen Taojin from Hong Kong, and learned music theory from Professor Ma Hui in Xinjiang Arts College, romantic piano from Steven Reeze, the teacher of British Royal Institute of Music. He came to Beijing at the end of 1996. In 2008 Olympic Games In Beijing, Luo found himself playing with many jazz musicians from around the world, and performed along with China’s beloved pianist Ling Ling and Li Yun Di. In 2010, Luo spent a year studying at the Cuba Arts University, and has the opportunity to attend lessons given by Bellita, Roberto Fonseca, and most of all the multi Grammy winner Chucho Valdes.

http://www.luoningmusic.com/

Maple Jazz Band, China 中國

Jason 徐啟華 - Drums, Band Leader
Hugo Liang 梁華剛 - Piano
Wen 溫嘉宇 - Bass
Steven 劉洋鋼 - Saxophone
JY-So 蘇君儀 - Voca

Maple Jazz band was formed in 2007. All members studiedand graduated from Xinghai Conservatory of Music, and tutor
and instructor for the KHS Music centre. The direction of theirmusic is mainstream jazz. They keep on exploring the legacyof this great art form besides fusing all kind of music genres,especially the funk tradition and Latin tinge. Members haveattended master classes held by jazz greats like TommySmith, Brady Blade and Will Calhoun, as well as Hong Kongjazz icon Ted Lo. With all the effort and hard works, MapleJazz band now emerges to be one of the most successfuljazz bands in the southern part of China.

MAPLE JAZZ BAND 2007 年成立於星海音樂學院，成員均來自星海音樂學院的專業人士，現任KHS集團廣州和諧音樂中心的專業老師。樂隊以傳統爵士樂為核心，致力於正宗爵士樂的探索與研究，不斷融合多種現代爵士風格如：Modern、Fusion、Funk、Soul、Latin 等，還不斷對國內外經典歌曲進行改編，更直接地推廣爵士音樂！自樂團成立以來，曾接受過英國著名爵士色士風演奏家 Tommy Smith、美國打擊樂兼錄音大師 Brady Blade、Will Calhoun、Anthony Gonzalez、亞洲著名爵士樂隊 Ted Lo Trio 等多位世界級大師現場指導。經過多年的發展，MAPLE JAZZ BAND 已成為華南地區具有影響力的爵士樂團之一。

http://maplejazz.blog.163.com/

http://weibo.com/maplejazzband

Maria João & Mário Laginha| Portugal

Maria João | Vocals

Mário Laginha | Piano

Maria João expresses lifetime stories, her roots and her passion for jazz by singing, inviting audiences to experience vivid and joyful rhythms combined with romantic melodies.

She is known for her vocal flexibility and improvisational skills. Her music incorporates an eclectic mix of folk/ethnic music, modern jazz, and the avant-garde, amazingly transforming delicate musical structures into tones, words and whispers.

Maria João & Mário Laginha met in 1983, made their first record and have since performed hundreds of concerts in Portugal and abroad and made more than 10 excellent records together playing, fundamentally, the music that they like and want to do, often revealing the cultural influences of the countries where they have been playing in – India, Africa, Brazil.

Website:

http://www.myspace.com/mariajoaograncha
http://www.myspace.com/mariolaginha

" maRK ", Hong Kong

Anna Fan - Percussion, Drums

Ricky Wong - Keyboards, Piano

Kenny Lin - Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone

Marcus Siew Wai Ho - Electric/Acoustic Bass

Fused with strong exotic origins percussion with abundant funk, alternative and post Jazz idioms, maRK is an upcoming jazz quartet with all-local-Hong-Kongers line up which are in demand composers, arrangers and sound engineer in the Hong Kong music scene.

Members of the group are also featured in numerous jazz festivals around the world including TEDxBoston, Beantown Jazz Festival(Boston, USA), HONK Festival (NewYork, USA), Vancouver Jazz Festival, Island Folk Festival, Hong Kong Arts Festival, Beishan International Jazz Festival, Taichung International Jazz Festival, Hong Kong International Jazz Festival to name a few.

Website: www.facebook.com/markquartethk 

The McCadden Place Collective | Hong Kong

Joe Lung | Drums

David Ma | Bass

Stephen Chan | Guitar

Established in 2007, The McCadden Place Collective is a pool of funk cats that plays anything from standards to groove jazz.  The members each spot an impressive resume and carries at least a decade of experience performing in all imaginable situations.

Mdungu|Africa/The Netherlands

David Beukers | Tenor saxophone, Vocals

Job Chajes | Baritone saxophone

Frank Gones| Guitar

Michiel Bel | Guitar

Merjin van de Wijdeven | Bass, Ska Specialist

Ebou Gaya Mada| Sabar | Vocals

Benoit Martiny | Drums

Ruben Montes | Percussions

Mdungu is a nine-piece band based in Amsterdam. The musicians come from Holland, Luxembourg, Spain and Gambia, perform their music with skill, flair and energy that is irresistible to any audience. African music by Mdungu is a strong musical experience: it funks, it grooves, it moves your feet and feeds your soul. The percussion is dazzling, the melodies enchanting and the vocals, captivating, creating a chemical reaction that makes people start dancing and romancing.

Mdungu was founded in 2003 by alto saxophonist Thijs van Milligen. From the start Mdungu was a most welcome guest on international stages and festivals of world music, pop and jazz scenes. After the release of their debut album in 2009, they toured intensively in Holland and abroad.

"One of the year’s undisputed highlights so far. A joy from beginning to end. Diverse, funky, challenging and fresh."  --Fly Global Music Culture, UK

"Such craftmanship. Simply brilliant!"  -- RifRaf Magazine

Website: http://www.mdungu.com

Supporter

The MICHEL BISCEGLIA Trio|Belgium

Michel Bisceglia | Piano

Werner Lauscher: double bass | Double Bass

Marc Lehan | Drums

Pianist, composer and arranger Michel Bisceglia is one of the most important and most vigorous musicians from Belgium. In 1996, at the age 26, he started his current trio that on their CD “About Stories” (RCA Victor) had the privilege to work with Randy Brecker and Bob Mintzer. Since 1997, he’s recorded only three CD's with his trio but has played in world-famous jazz festivals such as the Rochester International Jazzfestival (USA), the Guimaraes Jazz Festival (Portugal) with Dewey Redman and the Ulverston Music Festival in UK. The three CD’s are one after the other masterpieces; exercises in subtilized meditations on intangible melodies.

A typical characteristic of Michel Bisceglia is his working with artists outside the jazz world. In a coproduction with DJ Buscemi a new album was recorded with live ensemble. This album was released in September 2008 on Blue Note Records.

“Michel Bisceglia’s artistry, prowess and vocabulary at the piano delivers a well versed slant on the traditions of modern jazz. He has taken an astute look at all the masters of his instrument and developed a uniqueness all his own. I highly recommend the Michel Bisceglia trio. Our audience loved him.” --John Nugent, Rochester International Jazz Festival

Website: http://www.michelbisceglia.com/

Mikkel Ploug Trio, Denmark 丹麥

Mikkel Ploug - Guitar
Nicolai Munch Hansen - Bass
Martin Andersen - Drums

“Guitarist Mikkel Ploug’s star has been ascending-not only in his native Denmark, but also in various overlapping international jazz circles.” - Elliott Simon - All About Jazz (US)

Mikkel's debut album was released in 2006 and received a worldwide critical acclaim. Since then, the trio has toured Europe, Braziland the US, playing most major jazz clubs and festivals. The trio has worked with great saxophonists like Mark Turner and LorenStillman. Mikkel started from drums at four years but switched to the guitar in his teens. He graduatedas Master of jazz guitar from the Royal Conservatory of The Hague Holland and has been living in Berlin, New York andCopenhagen. On drums is one of Denmark's most sought-after drummers Martin Andersen who has toured the world with the NewJungle Orchestra and many others. On bass is Nikolai Munch Hansen, one of the young keepers of Denmark's fine bass tradition.

自 2006 年首張個人唱片面世引起各地樂壇一致好評後，Mikkel Ploug 三重奏便開始在歐美及巴西等地巡廻演出。至今，三重奏已先後灌錄了七張唱片，其中更邀得色士風猛人 Mark Tuner 及 Loren Stillman 一起合作。自四歲開始學習爵士鼓，其後便主攻結他。在皇家海牙音樂學院以優異成績取得 Master，後，曾在柏林、紐約及哥本哈根等地生活。Martin Andersen 為丹麥最受人爭相聘用，亦是著名的大樂團 New Jungle Orchestra 之鼓手。

www.mikkelploug.com

4 Oct 2015Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Piazza C

Joshua MacCluer - Trumpet

Callum Mackenzie - Saxophone

Patrick Lui - Piano

Jeff Lehmberg - Bass

Nate Wong - Drums

Nate w/ The Wong Way Down是原裝本土以玩奏原創，高能量爵士樂的樂隊，由柏克萊高材生 Nate Wong帶領組合而成。在畢業回港短短數年間，已在本地樂壇打響名堂，單在2014一年已演出了過二百場之數。

Nate w/ The Wong Way Down is Hong Kong’s premiere jazz ensemble. W.W.D. is a high energy original jazz music collective comprising Hong Kong’s top professional musicians led by Berklee College of Music graduate Nate Wong whose fingerprints are on virtually all parts of HK’s music scene performing with Shaolin Fez, The Voice of China, Ted Lo/Eugene Pao, The Nowhere Boys and over 200 other performances in 2014.

Wong Way Down (W.W.D.)WWD將傳統爵士五重奏的陣容，為大家獻上一些屬於香港具本地節奏和活力出樂曲。

W.W.D. brings the classic jazz quintet sound to the modern age, influenced by the lively sound and pace of our unique city, Hong Kong.

Nguyên Lê’sSaiyuki| France/Japan/India

Nguyên Lê | Guitar

Mieko Miyazaki | Koto, Shamisen, Vocals

Prabhu Edouard | Tablas, Percussion

The Japanese title means "Journey to the West", which in this case indicates a journey. The resulting music changes its cultural centre of gravity; sometimes it's north India, sometimes it links Japan and San Francisco. A truly egalitarian grouping, their music is co-composed by all three players who dip into the wellsprings of their individual cultures to create a repertoire that's transcendent in its beauty and cultural cross-pollination, supporting the old adage of music as the international language.

For over twenty years, Nguyên Lê has collaborated with a growing cadre of like-minded musicians—mostly Paris-based, where the guitarist of Vietnamese origins resides—building a body of work that is, in the truest sense of the word, "world music." Lê has carved out a unique space—often fusion-like in its electricity and energy, but avoiding the negative connotations; undeniably jazz-centric, too, but largely avoiding overt references to traditionalism.

“Nguyên Lê is a masterful, inventive player who has cultivated a wholly unique voice on the intsrument, he ranks right up there with Frisell, John Scofield, Mike Stern & Allan Holdsworth in the post-Hendrix world of jazz guitar. «  -- Bill Milkowski, JazzTimes

”With his distinctive approach to exploring and integrating music from around the globe, Lê continues to impress with his fine playing, astute collaborative choices and personal vision.” --John Kelman, All About Jazz

Website: http://www.nguyen-le.com/Site_Nu/Bonjour.html

Ntjam Rosie, Cameron/The Netherlands

Ntjam Rosie - vocal NT

Alexander Van Popta - Keyboards

Jorn Ten Hoopen - guitar

Bas Kloosterman - bass

Tuur Sylvain Moens - drums 

Ntjam Rosie has flair and a unique personal style. She has been nominated for the magazine ELLE Personal Style Awards but doesn’t see herself as a fashion diva. “I have often been portrayed as a diva, now it is time to show my true colors. And those colors are vibrant and clear.”

Ntjam Rosie has style, great looks and is a gifted musician, singer, songwriter and producer. The 29 year old Ntjam Rose emphasizes: “I am an artist. I dig into my cultures and make art from them.” It is the ‘right here, right now’ quality of her compositions that makes her music so exciting. She does not indulge in retro elements but simply roots in them. Her songs are an enticing mix of lyrics, style, and music.

Ntjam Rosie lives in Rotterdam now. She was born in the village Sonkoe in the South of Cameroon. Ntjam Rosie grew up dancing and singing to pop music in her spare time. After high school she studied at the Codarts academy of music in Rotterdam.

Ntjam Rosie has her own record label Gentle Daze Records and works hard for it.  As promoting her own record, Ntjam has toured several countries in the past, among them Thailand, Turkey, Estonia and China and earned her a prestigious Edison nomination. “The critics have been fabulous.” Ntjam Rosie is regularly invited to perform for DWDD on Dutch TV and has been on BBC 1 radio and  an extensive Club Tour and has played at the North Sea Jazz Festival.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8QYVXqdSmg

Website: www.ntjamrosie.com/

1 Oct 2015 Hong Kong City Hall, Theatre

Pasquale Stafano, piano 鋼琴

Yu Wan Yun Naomi, 余宛芸Vocal歌手

Kao Yu Ching, 高裕景Erhu二胡

Huang Tzu Yu, 黃子瑜Drums鼓

Danille Cappucci, Bass 低音

Tim Ries, Saxophonist (Special Guest) ( 特別嘉賓)

由意大利鋼琴手及台灣歌手余宛芸，去年在台相遇後的共同理念而催生，望能把兩地的民俗及傳統樂曲，以當代爵士樂的手法重新編寫，成為一些脱穎而出雅俗共賞的音樂。

The project was formed in 2014 after Pasquale Stafano’s meeting Naomi Yu in Taipei.  The group’s materials are inspired mainly by the seductive Chinese and Italian folklore and traditional music.

Pasquale Stafano在意大利福查(Foggia)音樂學院修讀鋼琴，因對爵士樂的響往而再進修爵士樂專修課程，師承芝加哥鋼琴手Brandon McCune。經常在國內外參加比賽而屢次獲獎。

Pasquale Stafano, pianist, composer and arranger was awarded the Piano Academic Degree at "U. Giordano" Music Conservatory of Foggia (Italy) in 1994 and the Jazz Academic Degree at “U. Giordano” Music Conservatory in 2000. Following his passion for jazz music, he attended the "Specialization Jazz Course” “CPM” Siena Jazz” held by the pianist Mauro Grossi and "Pescara Jazz Master Class” held by the pianist and composer Brandon McCune, teacher of Columbia Jazz College of Chicago in 1999.  He participated at several national and international competitions, of contemporary and jazz music, achieving first prizes. He collaborated and collaborates currently with important and famous jazz musicians like: Javier Girotto, Gabriele Mirabassi, Fabrizio Bosso, Max Ionata, Gustavo Toker, Michele Rabbia, Daniel Humair, and others.

Beyond his jazz studies, he has a passion for the south America music, in particular for the argentinian tango music and founded the trio "Nuevo Tango Ensamble" in 1999. With this project he performs all around the world in prestigious theaters, Festivals and Jazz Clubs in Rome, Turin, Paris, Vienna, Warsaw, Seoul and Taipei and many others.    

He has released CDs like "Astor's Mood", "A night in Vienna for Astor Piazzolla", “D’impulso” and others recording with Gabriele Mirabassi, Javier Girotto and others.  In December 2014 he arranged two composition and recorded it with Nuevo Tango Ensamble for Korean Movie “Chronicle of a blood merchant”.   He participated in several national and international competitions, of contemporary, chamber music and jazz music, achieving first prizes every time.  He is also a lecturer in piano jazz and classical, composition and arrangement in several Public and Private High Schools.

在台北出生的余宛芸自幼便在教堂聖詩班內歌唱繼而愛上了福音樂曲。但自幼年時在電影插曲中接觸了爵士樂後便追隨至今。雖然在大學時是修讀語言系，但由於對音樂的熱衷令她不停地搜尋各類型爵士樂來聆聽，及在27歲時成為了職業歌手。

Born in Taipei, Naomi sang in church choir where she was immersed in gospel music. After hearing jazz in the movie soundtracks, she began to develop an appreciation for it at an early age. She studied Applied English at Southern Taiwan University of Technology in Taiwan and studied French at CIDEF of UCO (Université Catholique de l'Ouest) in France. Her curiosity and love for music led her to explore the abundance of Jazz recordings and she started singing professionally at age 27. Since then she has been performing at many functions and events, and currently participates in various projects, with many talented musicians in Taiwan and from aboard.

http://www.pasqualestafano.com/

Paul Augustin| Malaysia

Founder and director of the Penang Island International Jazz Festival. Paul has been involvedin various fields of the Entertainment business for more than 30 years. In 1996, Paul, together with Ms Chin Choo Yuen established The Capricorn Connection - an Event & Venue Management Company managing and coordinating a wide range of events. The conceptualization of the idea of a Festival on an island began in 1996 and eight years after thatin 2004, the dream of the Festival was realized with the start of The Penang Island Jazz Festival. He is a Founder member of the Asian Jazz Festival Organisation and has acted as Advisor for anumber of Events and Festivals throughout Malaysia.