13th KK Jazz Festival returns to raise funds for community projects

KOTA KINABALU: One of the longest running jazz festivals in Malaysia, the Kota Kinabalu Jazz Festival (KKJF), returns for the 13th time next week, where part of its proceeds will go to community projects in Sabah.

To be held over two days on August 2 (Friday) and August 3 (Saturday) at the Covered Tennis Court of Sutera Harbour Resort, it will feature talented jazz bands from the Sabah music community and Kuala Lumpur’s Rainbow Children and Xianghai Divas.

The Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry has approved an allocation of RM60,000 in support of the non-profit event, according to Minister Datuk Christina Liew in a statement on Wednesday (July 24).

Part of the money raised will fund community projects of Kota Kinabalu Rotary Club, which include medical outreach camps for health screening of rural folks, building toilets for rural communities, water gravity feed projects to provide clean water supply and helping out poor children in remote villages.

“The inclusion of the Festival as a premier event in the Sabah Tourism Board’s annual calendar of events reflect the government’s support for KKJF,” Liew said, following a courtesy call by KKJF 2019organising committee led by organising chairman, Jack Ong.

Among Sabah’s performing groups will be Jamstation, SWAG (comprising professional musicians from RTM Sabah, lecturers from Universiti Malaysia Sabah Music Faculty, tutors and students of Sabah Institute of Arts as well as musicians from the Royal Malaysian Police Band), Blues Summit and AC Duo.

Others are Take 2 (vocalist and guitarist Jonathan Tse with Peter Lau on percussion and handsonic), Rikki and Friends, Sunrise Jazz Ensemble, Project Trio, Lawalah from the Sabah Institute of Arts’ Music Department and Calypsoul.

Liew, who is also Deputy Chief Minister, rated the KKJF as a tourism event for both domestic and international tourists, as well as local music enthusiasts to enjoy.

“Support our Malaysian musicians … KKJF (founded in 2007) is the only jazz festival in the region that was set up to raise funds for charity and develop the performing arts,” she said.

Source: The Star Online