Making a jazz ecosystem

SINGAPORE – The Singapore International Jazz Festival, also known as the Sing Jazz festival, is returning next March and its organisers have promised that the second edition of the festival will be bigger and better than the first.

At a press conference yesterday, the organisers announced the first batch of artistes appearing at Sing Jazz, which promises more than 250 international and local musicians performing over four nights on multiple stages at the Marina Bay Sands Promenade.

English pop star Jessie J, who is known for hits such as Price Tag, Domino and Bang Bang, will be leading a line-up that includes jazz luminaries such as 10-time Grammy winner Bobby McFerrin, trumpeter Chris Botti and pianist-composer Ramsey Lewis. American a cappella group Naturally 7, British instrumentalists Courtney Pine and Alan Barnes, fusion-jazz band Snarky Puppy and Indonesian jazz icon Indra Lesmana will also be performing, along with other acts from around the world. Singapore’s Jeremy Monteiro will be teaming up with Italian jazz organist Alberto Marsico for a show, while The Steve McQueens, one of the most exciting bands on the local jazz front, will also take the stage.

“We realised we need to attract a younger audience,” Sing Jazz founder and artistic director David Lyndon Smith said in an interview with TODAY. “We are looking at some acts that are more tailored towards youth, as well as more crossover acts. It’s all jazz-inspired music (and) a little more eclectic. There’s something for everyone this year.”

Of course, the big question that detractors, or even purist jazz fans, may ask is: How jazzy is Jessie J?

“Well, she’s a pop singer in terms of her label and genre,” explained Smith. “But all pop music is inspired by jazz. And you will also find out ... she’ll explain (when she performs) what jazz means to her. But by having a popular artiste such as Jessie J, we hope to draw a new demographic of audience members who may not have had a chance to listen to pure jazz.

“So by having a cross-section of artistes from different genres, people will get to experience the whole (spectrum of music). That is why we are making it a little more accessible this year than last year.”

He added: “It’s about the atmosphere we create over the weekend and the free spirit that jazz inspires.”

“It has to be an experience,” said Michael Tay, founder, director and senior adviser. “We are driven by a social mission to make Singapore a jazz hub for Asia and beyond.”

But if there is something the folks at Sing Jazz have learnt from organising the first edition of the festival, it is that they should give their rundown some breathing space. Earlier this year, the organisers were criticised after they cut the stage lights and sound at the stroke of midnight on the last night of the festival, right when American band The Earth, Wind & Fire Experience was in the middle of playing one of the biggest EWF hits, September.

“It couldn’t have happened at a worse moment,” said Smith. “We had a curfew at midnight, set by our licence. On the first night, it was Incognito playing and we went over by six minutes. But on the final night, despite our best efforts to keep things on time, the band ran over again. And we just could not afford to not respect the curfew, so we unfortunately had to cut the sound. That was disappointing for us as well as for the musicians and audience.”

He continued: “I had slipped and broken my foot. I hobbled to the sound desk, all of our other directors were backstage and in the wings. Staff from Marina Bay Sands were standing behind me and the police were on the stage. It was all very tense.”

But if the same thing happens again this year, Smith said he “would do everything to save the music”.

“We had no choice because we wanted to play by the rules. We didn’t want to get a (bad reputation) with the police for next year’s festival. We want to make sure we get our licences. So it was unfortunate, but that is the learning curve,” said Smith.

The organisers said they would be announcing more headlining artistes in the weeks to come and that they are hopeful this festival will help to “build an ecosystem” for jazz in Singapore.

“We are actually trying to build an ecosystem for jazz music and jazz-inspired music in Singapore,” said Tay. “Hopefully, in time, we will establish Singapore as the epicentre for the music scene in the region. Our ambition is high, we want to be far bigger than (what we were) yesterday, and every year, we will start growing. Every year, we will start adding new elements to make it interesting and dynamic.”

The Singapore International Jazz Festival happens on March 6 to 8 at Marina Bay Sands Promenade. Gala concert on March 5. Tickets at S$125 (one-day pass) and S$255 (three-day pass) from Marina Bay Sands (http://www.MarinaBaySands.com/Ticketing).