Gina Panizales has always been in love with music. Ever since her schooldays, she has been very active in participating in choirs, musicals and theater productions. It was when she discovered jazz that her career in music really took off. Citing Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, Tania Maria, Dinah Washington, BB King, Etta James, Al Jarreau, Diane Schuur, Diane Reeves, Poncho Sanchez and Celia Cruz as her influences, she slowly transformed her sound from popular music and R&B to jazz, blues and latin which she has always loved listening to.

In 2006, Gina finally decided that it was high time for her to record her debut album. Having kept several songs for years, she sought the help of renowned local jazz guitarist and producer Roger Wang to produce her album, titled Finally. The album was recorded and mastered at RAM Productions in Kota Kinabalu and Sonique Productions in Kuala Lumpur.

The album can be obtained from most local stores in Malaysia.

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Having successfully organised the Miri International Jazz Festival in 2006 and 2007, the Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) once again presents another exciting edition of the festival in 2008.

To be held on May 9 and 10, 2008, this year’s edition will include a broader spectrum of jazz, adding spice to a vibrant festival, which has already become a signature event in Miri’s tourism calendar

MIJF 2008 will feature renowned jazz artists from Australia, Cuba, Holland, USA, France, UK, Canada, Sarawak and the Philippines. Look forward to some laidback blues and jazz fusion with a tinge of Latin, Caribbean, even a touch of the Orient.

The artist line-up includes Habana Sax from Cuba, Chairmaine Clamor (Philippines), Rumba Calzada (Canada), Mood Indigo (UK), Diamond Dave and the Doodaddies (Australia), Oma Sound (Japan), T’Inventielke (Holland), Amar Sundy (Algeria) and Sarawak’s own Borneo Jazz Quartet .

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In the article, “Teratai assemblyman believes that youth are the future”, Jenice Lee, the cybersavvy assemblyman, reveals that her musical loves are classical and jazz!

Lee has been a DAP member for the last seven years and was Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun’s political secretary from 2004 to 2005. She is also the DAP Teratai Community Centre director and maintains her personal website at http://www.jenicelee.com

And what has jazz got to do with it?

Well, six full-time professional jazz musicians became test subjects for a study and you can read the conclusion arrived at in the study by clicking this link here.

And so, we have the list of winners for the jazz categories who include the late Michael Brecker who was posthumously awarded two Grammy Awards for his album Pilgrimage in the categories of “Best Jazz Instrumental Solo” and “Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group.”

Herbie Hancock won the coveted award of “Album Of The Year” and “Best Contemporary Jazz Album” for River : The Joni Letters.





American Democratic Party Presidential hopeful, Barack Obama who spent a part of his childhood in Indonesia was awarded a Grammy for “Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Story Telling)”

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Yes, we turn three today and hopefully to greater happenings! Unlike the previous two years where we reminiscent about what had transpired the previous years, I believe it is best to set our sights on the future.

The following may be a little cryptic, but I'm certain many have received little, delightful surprises that so often spring from the unlikeliest of sources that simply spurs one into shifting into higher gears to a whole new dimension and achieving greater things. Likewise, on a personal scale, I have been the recipient of such a surprise from a great couple to help me fulfill a lifelong dream and for that I want to thank them. For this website in particular, we have been helped tremendously, in one way or another, through the generosity of selfless many who saw value in promoting and pursuing this strange thing called “Jazz” in Malaysia. Thank you everyone and we hope you will continue to support us in what we do.

On the other hand, there may have been little setbacks the past year for the Malaysian jazz scene but we must be careful not to allow them to distract us from achieving our possible full potential. Remember the scene from “Transformers the Movie” right before our hero and his chick boarded Bumblebee?

“Fifty years from now, when you're looking back at your life, don't you want to be able to say you had the guts to get in the car?”

They boarded the autobot, battled against all odds and the rest, as you know it, is history.

Fifty years may be too long, so I'll contend with five; five or ten years from now, I do not want to look back in regret of what COULD have been. For instance, the The Top Room closure is a setback definitely, but I can only imagine the folks behind the Jazz Association of Malaysia achieving a great deal as they hold on to the vision they had at their conception. So I'm taking a leaf from their resilience.

When I asked Az Samad, who I deemed is able to provide a unique and in some sense impartial perspective due to his removal from the local scene “Where do you see jazz heading in Malaysia?” and he replied “Towards a better future as long as everyone loves one another” that gave me fuel to be optimistic.

The same goes too with Julian's “Carpe Diem”. I can go on and on, but this will suffice for now.

So what really lies ahead for the future? Well, the future's really up to us (and God's - oh, the best laid plans of mice and men). I could go on revealing AllDatJazz.Com's hopes and aspirations for the future, but hey, wouldn't it be little delightful surprise for you to find out as we try and create future-history together?

I want to be a history maker! (And Bob is feverishly working on the Emperor's New Clothes re-branded site- let's cheer him on!)

UPDATE: Alright, the gimmick didn't work but it was fun

*UPDATE:* We've just received news from JazzMaster Malaysia that the travel packages from Malaysia to the 4th Java Jazz Festival have been announced. Prices start from RM 1,213.00 per person inclusive of 3D/2N accommodation, daily breakfast, 1 day ticket for Java Jazz Festival, return air ticket from KUL-JKT-KUL and return airport transfer.



For a full listing of hotels and pricing in regards to the travel packages offered by JazzMaster Malaysia, please click this link

For the full schedule of what's happening and when is it happening during the Java Jazz Festival, click here (UPDATE: The schedule is already finalized)

If you're wondering how things are going to go down at the Jakarta Convention Center where Java Jazz Festival is going to be held, well scoot on over to this link for a quick view of the venue.

Those who are interested can visit their website for more information or contact them via telephone at 03-23000521.

With little over than a month more to go before the festival begins, I propose that you start getting your tickets and travel plans ready to avoid any disappointment!

Links:
The 4th Java Jazz Festival
Java Jazz Festival Website
JazzMaster Malaysia Website

It's the 2nd installment of the Gentings Jazz Festival! Block your schedule as per the details below:

Date : 4th & 5th April 2008
Time : 7pm daily
Venue : Genting International Showroom
Daily Pass : RM 100 (One Day), RM 150 (Two Days)

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In case you haven't noticed, Singapore's Mosaic Music Festival 2008 is back and will be held from the 7th to 16th of March 2008. Performers that are billed for this year's event ranges from the likes of Harry Connick Jr., Lee Ritenour, Eddie Palmeri, Earth Wind and Fire, Soil and Pimp Session, Lady Doo-Bop Saskia Laroo, Jazzology - The Chok Kerong Trio and many others. A festival that'll span over 2 weeks,it is filled with exceptional music at the Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay.

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There's much exciting jazz to be heard and watched around the South East Asia region. One of it is the Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival 2008 which will be held from the 7th till the 9th of March 2008.

That's less than 1 1/2 months away and international Jazz Artists confirmed to perform this year are jazz guitarist, Lee Ritenour, the Manhattan Transfer and Harvey Mason among others.

UPDAtE: The full schedule is already available by clicking here

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