Jazz Marathon for the International Jazz Day 2020【Programme Cancelled】

In view of the uncertainty of the spread of COVID-19 in the coming weeks and to avoid mass gatherings, the workshop(s) and concert(s) originally scheduled on 24th and 25th of April, 2020 at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium will be cancelled.  Patrons who have purchased tickets are requested to keep them in good condition to facilitate refund.  Please look out for the announcements soon to be posted on the Cultural Presentations Section web page and Facebook.  For other enquiries, please email cp2@lcsd.gov.hk or call 2268 7321 during office hours.
 

The Greatest Jazz party of the Year
The Best Music All in One Day

Barry Lam

Jazz is music full of possibilities: no one would have foreseen one hundred years ago that a musical hybrid would emerge on the young soil of America and make an impact on the world.  Within a very short time, jazz musicians were able to change extensively the face of music: aesthetically they have found a way to realise the harmonious co-existence of dualities such as “individual vs. group”, “tradition vs. innovation”, “tension vs. harmony”, “freedom vs. restraint” and “present vs. past”.  It is therefore not exaggerating to state that jazz is an artistic embodiment of human civilisation, which is why jazz can make its mark in many countries with advanced civilisations.

Put succinctly, the pitch of this jazz marathon is the showing of the many faces of jazz since its earliest developments.  Across the enormous spectrum of music, jazz musicians have validated jazz as a genre by beating a path with will and experimentation.  In all, their efforts are to sustain the vibrant continuation of a genre which responds in depth to the yearnings of every age.

Some musicians internalise special qualities of others before them and morph them into something of their own, so that certain beautiful things can continue to find an embodiment.

Some experiment to widen the jazz spectrum to create a feeling different than before.

More seasoned musicians begin to compile and meld their own past work to show the audience a summation of their musical lives in an honest and natural way.

What is most beautiful about jazz is that it enables the above different types of people to find their own roles and positions.  Do come and enjoy your favourite music with us in the upcoming Jazz Marathon, to be held on 25th April in anticipation of the International Jazz Day on 30th of the same month.

English translation provided by KCL Language Consultancy Ltd.

Day Marathon Concert (2:30pm - 6pm)

(including 2 changeover sessions of around 20-25 mins)

Atlantis Trio
Roberto Olzer (Italy) Piano

Deobrat Mishra (India) Sitar

Prashant Mishra (India) Tabla

The internationally acclaimed leader, Olzer, whose album was named the best instrumental album of 2013 by the Japanese Jazz Critique Magazine, will join hands with the trio’s two Indian musicians to blend a world-music element with jazz.  The trio has performed in many Italian cities, including Rome, Torino, Massa, Carrara, Verbania, and Domodossola, and at the Monza Visionaria Festival and Borgomanero Jazz Festival 2019.

Special Guest

Zhang Zhi-yong (Hong Kong) Flute, Chinese Flute

Versatile in jazz and classical music, Zhang plays the flute, saxophone, clarinet, and Chinese flute and has given many concerts in the United States, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, and the Mainland.  He has worked with numerous artists, such as The Platters, Connie Francis, Robert Doezema, Victor Mendoza, Jerry Cecco, Peter-Lucas Graf, Ted Lo, and Dominic Chow, to name a few.

Marc Berthoumieux Band (France)

Marc Berthoumieux Accordion

Laurent Vernerey Bass

Stephane Huchard Drums

Berthoumieux is a French accordion virtuoso and composer who is active in various jazz festivals.  He has collaborated with world-acclaimed jazz artists.  A notable mention is the recent appearance with the quartet of Dee Dee Bridgewater, a three-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, on a tour of more than 200 concerts around the world.

Featuring

Giovanni Mirabassi (Italy) Piano

Mirabassi is a Paris-based Italian jazz pianist.  In 1996, he recorded his first album, with Pierre-Stéphane Michel on upright bass and Flavio Boltro on trumpet, winning the Grand Prix and the best soloist prize at the Concours International de Jazz d’Avignon.  In 2001, Mirabassi released his first solo album, Avanti!, bringing him the Django d’Or award for the best young talent and a Victoire du Jazz in 2002.

Kazumi Watanabe All-Star Band (Japan)

Kazumi Watanabe  Guitar

Tetsuo Sakurai  Bass

Toshiyuki Honda  saxophone

Tomohiro Yahiro  Percussion

Watanabe was born in 1953 in Tokyo.  In 1979 he formed KYLYN with then up-and-coming stars of the Japanese music scene, namely Ryuichi Sakamoto, Akiko Yano, and Shuichi “Ponta” Murakami.  He has crossed genres and borders to perform with an outstanding number of Japanese and international artists, including John McLaughlin at Tokyo Music Joy, Al Di Meola at the Mt. Fuji Jazz Festival, and Eugene Pao at “Live Under The Sky”.  He has performed in Rome, Paris, and a guitar festival in Iceland.  He launched the Asian Super Guitar Project with guitarists from Korea (Jack Lee) and Hong Kong (Eugene Pao).

(Information provided by the artists)

Night Marathon Concert (7:15pm - 10:45pm)

(including 2 changeover sessions of around 20-25 mins)

Igor Butman & A Bu Duo

Igor Butman (Russia) Saxophone

Saxophone virtuoso Butman is one of the icons in Russia’s jazz scene.  While still in the Soviet Union, Butman was invited to play with touring American musicians, including Dave Brubeck, Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, Gary Burton, Louis Bellson, and Grover Washington Jr.  Since the 1990s, he has performed at almost every major jazz festival, such as the JVC Jazz Festival in New York, Boston Globe Jazz Festival in Boston, Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival in Idaho, and Festival Internationale de Jazz de Montreal in Canada.

A Bu (Mainland) Piano

A Bu was born in Beijing in 1999.  At the age of 20, he has already played with some key names in the international classical and jazz worlds, including Chick Corea, Antonio Hart, Al Jarreau, the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra, and Moscow Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra.  At the Montreux Jazz Piano Competition 2015, A Bu won the jury’s first prize and the Audience Choice Award.  Three times in the past four years, he has represented the Mainland at the International Jazz Day All-Star Global Concert.

Special Guest

Justin Siu (Hong Kong) Bass

One of the most promising jazz cellists on the Hong Kong jazz scene, Siu has been featured in various arts festivals, such as Le French May Arts Festival, Hong Kong Arts Festival, Macau Jazz Week, and Jazz in Daegu Festival.

Grace Kelly Band (USA)

Grace Kelly  Saxophone/Vocal

Devon Yesberger  Piano/Keyboard

Julia Adamy  Bass

Ross Pederson  Drums

As a songwriter, Kelly has won multiple awards from ASCAP, the Boston Music Awards, and the International Songwriting Awards.  As a saxophonist, she was named Jazz Artist of the Year at the 2016 Boston Music Awards.  She has performed in over 800 concerts in over 30 countries at notable venues, including the Hollywood Bowl, Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, Symphony Hall, and international jazz festivals such as those in Montreal, Newport, and Montreux.  She has performed with Questlove, Esperanza Spalding, Harry Connick Jr, Wynton Marsalis, Dave Brubeck, Steve Martin, Emma Stone, Huey Lewis, Gloria Estefan, and more.

Special Guest

Alan Kwan (Hong Kong) Guitar

Kwan has performed in Hong Kong, Dallas, New York, and Tokyo with various world-famous jazz musicians, including Dayna Stephens, Fabian Almazan, Paul Bollenback, Sean Wayland, David Smith, George Delancey, Curtis Graham Nowosad, and Henry Grimes.  In 2016, Kwan was invited to teach master classes and perform at the Kos Swing Big Band in Taiwan under the direction of Grammy nominee Dr Gene Aitken.

Ozmosys  (USA)

Omar Hakim  Drums

Rachel Z  Keyboard

Linley Marthe  Electric Bass

Kurt Rosenwinkel  Guitar

Ozmosys is a new jazz-rock fusion super band consisting of four internationally acclaimed luminaries.  The legendary drummer Hakim has, among others, performed with Miles Davis, David Bowie, Madonna, and Daft Punk.  The keyboard player Rachel Z has played with Wayne Shorter and Peter Gabriel.  The electric bass player Marthe was discovered by Joe Zawinul.  Rosenwinkel, on the other hand, is the leading guitarist of his generation.  All have strong backgrounds as studio musicians and have played alongside many rock and pop stars.  The group’s virtuosity and adaptability make for interesting and compelling music.

(Information provided by the artists)

(English and Chinese translation provided by KCL Language Consultancy Ltd.)

24 April 2020 (Friday)

Conducted in English

1^st Session ∣ Committee Room

2pm - 3pm

Rare Instruments in Jazz*

Deobrat Mishra (Sitar), Prashant Mishra (Tabla), Marc Berthoumieux (Accordion), Zhang Zhi-yong (Flute/Chinese Flute)

2^nd Session ∣ Committee Room

3:15pm - 4:15pm

Saxophone Meeting*

Igor Butman, Grace Kelly

3^rd Session ∣ Committee Room

4:30pm - 5:30pm

Meeting with the Supergroups

Kazumi Watanabe All-Star Band, Ozmosys

4^th Session ∣ Arena

6pm – 7 pm

Piano Meeting*

Roberto Olzer, Giovanni Mirabassi, A Bu

*with live demonstration

The presenter reserves the right to change the workshop and substitute artists.

Jazz Marathon for the International Jazz Day 2020【Programme Cancelled】

DATE

VENUE

PRICE

Full-Day Workshop

24.04.2020(Fri) 14:00

Arena, Queen Elizabeth Stadium

$100

BUY NOW

Marathon Concert (Night)

25.04.2020(Sat) 19:15

Arena, Queen Elizabeth Stadium

$520, $380, $280, $180

BUY NOW

Marathon Concert (Day)

25.04.2020(Sat) 14:30

Arena, Queen Elizabeth Stadium

$480, $360, $260, $160

BUY NOW

DATE

Full-Day Workshop

24.04.2020(Fri) 14:00

VENUE

Arena, Queen Elizabeth Stadium

PRICE

$100

BUY NOW

DATE

Marathon Concert (Night)

25.04.2020(Sat) 19:15

VENUE

Arena, Queen Elizabeth Stadium

PRICE

$520, $380, $280, $180

BUY NOW

DATE

Marathon Concert (Day)

25.04.2020(Sat) 14:30

VENUE

Arena, Queen Elizabeth Stadium

PRICE

$480, $360, $260, $160

BUY NOW

Passes available from 22 January at URBTIX outlets, on internet, by mobile ticketing app and credit card telephone booking.

Half-price tickets available for senior citizens aged 60 and above, people with disabilities and the minder, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients. (Limited tickets for CSSA recipients available on a first-come-first-served basis.)

Early Bird Discount 22.1 – 13.3.2020

30 % off on purchase of any pass during Early Bird Period.

Group Booking Discount*

For each purchase of standard Marathon Passes, the following concession applies:

10% off for 4-9 passes; 15% off for 10-19 passes; 20% off for 20 or more passes.
 

Marathon Concert Package Discount*

20% off for each purchase of both Day and Night concert passes.

*Available from 14 March after the early bird period.

Patrons can enjoy only one of the above discount offers.

The presenter reserves the right to make changes to the programme, workshop and artists.

Programme Enquiries: 2268 7321

Ticketing Enquiries: 3761 6661

Internet Booking: www.urbtix.hk

Credit Card Telephone Bookin: 2111 5999