Malaysian music fans should be making a plan to visit Sarawak this June with the return of the Rainforest World Music Festival and Borneo Jazz.
MUSIC lovers from around Malaysia should be packing their bags for two internationally acclaimed music festivals that will soon reignite our passion for music.
Mark your calendar for the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) which is to be held at Damai Beach from June 17-19, while one week later, Borneo Jazz (June 24-26) to be staged in Miri.
Audience numbers will be capped in line with Covid-19 protocols but after a two-year absence, many Malaysians will be keen to visit Sarawak for one or both festivals.
CULTURE IN NATURE
This year's RFWMF is the 25th anniversary and after a two-year hiatus, the hybrid event is eagerly anticipated.
The festival was designed to entertain and maybe challenge existing musical tastes. One thing is for sure, none of the performers play commercial tunes, but the music and the artistes are always entertaining.
The organisers have finalised the performers and it is best to check the event website for the performer schedule.
The festival also promotes the development of the musical and cultural diversity of Sarawak's ethnic communities.
On each night of the festival, local Sarawakian musicians and groups appear and there's always a sape (a lute-like instrument) to be heard.
Alena Murang is a young musician from Borneo who will perform this year. Much of her music is influenced by the environment and Borneo's indigenous people. She is one of a few players to sing and play the sape at the same time.
The event presents an opportunity for local performers to play before a large audience. It usually doesn't matter who is performing as the artistes are all highly talented and often the best in their musical genre.
The final act for the three-day festival is reserved for the most upbeat group on the bill. Each evening starts somewhat sedately and builds to a crescendo at the evening's end.
Each afternoon, during workshops, musicians jam freely amongst themselves while enthusiastic audiences are encouraged to join in too.
These workshops provide the soul of the festival and are especially popular with young children. They also ensure that the entertainment and music provide a complete schedule of daily music throughout the three-day event.
The venue for the festival is the Sarawak Cultural Village at Damai Beach less than one-hour's drive from Kuching.
This village is a working centre for several of the state's ethnic communities but during the festival, the traditional village homes become the venue for afternoon musical workshops and jam sessions.
While there are a few resorts in the immediate vicinity of the concert site, most of these could already be booked out.
The alternative is to stay in a Kuching hotel and travel daily to the festival site on one of several shuttle buses operating between Damai and major Kuching hotels.
JAZZ IN THE JUNGLE
Borneo Jazz Festival is one of South East Asia's longest running international jazz festivals. It will be held in a hybrid format to reach out to the global jazz-loving audience.
The physical concert will take place at Coco Cabana in Miri while viewers will also be able to live stream one-hour blocks of their performances from wherever they are around the globe. Last year's virtual festival garnered 244,637 online viewers from 43 countries.
With musical content curated by No Black Tie Presents, Malaysia's foremost jazz promoter, music lovers can expect a spectacular mix of jazz and hip-hop, tribal vibes, world beat and electro-jazz grooves during the 17th edition of the Borneo Jazz Festival.
Eclectic performances of jazz musicians, rappers and disc jockeys from Hungary, the USA, France, Singapore and Malaysia will be staged.
The Sarawak Arts Council's band, Sarawak Symphony Orchestra, will also perform with the aim of promoting Sarawak's local music scene.
One goal of the festival is to provide Sarawakian artistes with an even bigger platform for their artistry to be recognised around the world.
Jazz in the Jungle will not only rejuvenate the Malaysian jazz scene, it will generate even more interest in the numerous natural attractions that are accessible from Miri, the gateway to Northern Sarawak.
Once in Sarawak, festival goers can use the extensive services of MASwings to fly to many destinations on the island of Borneo to find out that there is more to discover here.
Borneo Jazz will feature performances by the winners of the nationwide Borneo Jazz Talent Search launched in April.
Together with Borneo Jazz FAB Lab 2022, aspiring musicians will be given the chance to grow their musical talent alongside renowned local and international artistes while also contributing to the growth of Miri as a regional jazz centre.
For those who want to enjoy the concert virtually, tickets are priced at RM25 per viewing block – approximately an hour segmented into your favourite performers. For more information on the virtual slots, visit jazzborneo.com.
FAST FACTS
How to get there
Malaysia Airlines is the official airline partner of the Borneo Jazz Music Festival. Both Malaysia Airlines and Firefly are offering attractive deals and discounts on flights from Peninsular Malaysia, London, Australia and some Asean destinations to cities in Sarawak.
Firefly will fly passengers from Penang to Kuching via its jet operations.
In Sarawak, MASwings can fly concertgoers to exciting holiday destinations. Being the 'Pulse of Borneo', MASwings serves a specialised market, meeting tourists' travel needs in terms of connectivity and affordable transportation.
Enjoy cheap flights to Borneo with Malaysia Airlines Promotion.
