Trumpets to the wind

Editor’s note: Jazz Junction is a new column that’ll appear in this space every other week.

The second Samui International Jazz Music Festival came to a close late last month following another spectacular display of jazz music and a fun week where guests were treated to fine wine, great food and excellent jazz.
The 2011 Samui International Jazz Music Festival was dedicated to the theme of “tropical jazz” and the six locations for the concerts certainly enhanced the tropical feel. On the last evening, the main stage at Beach Republic was packed as jazz fans flocked to the venue for a last chance to listen to some amazing music.
As usual on a “last night”, things got a little wild as the programmed format gradually dissolved into a jam session with all the musicians and singers performing late into the night.
New bands featured during the evening included Tropic Green from Singapore, a multi-national combination that played only original songs composed by pianist Susan Harmer. Their performance was full of energy and they opened the evening with one of their original songs “Breakfast for Sparrows”.
Guitarist and composer Ori Dakari and his band from Israel then took to the stage with a set that had its roots in Israeli, Yemenite, East European and North African music.
Irene Atman from Canada, who opened the festival, reminded the audience of how well she interprets the jazz classics. Joining in was Thailand’s very own saxophone maestro Koh Mr Saxman, a welcome return visitor to the island’s jazz scene.
A complete change followed as Ntjam Rosie and her band took the stage. Originally from the Cameroons but raised in the Netherlands, she brings an African influence to her music, especially when she sings in Bulu, the native language of the people of Cameroon. Describing herself as “Afropean”, she mixes musical styles to suit the song and takes much from her mixed musical heritage. Ntjam sang tracks from her album “Elle” including “Morning Glow”, “Roof over my Heart”, “Elle Part 1” and “In Need”.
Many of the artists from the Netherlands who performed at the festival provided backing for various singers including Natalia Calderon from Spain and the ever fun and talented Sara Lee Vos.
The night continued with the Peter Beets Trio comprising Beets on keyboard, brother Marius on bass and Gijs Dijkhuizen on drums. They opened with “Wheatlands” from the Oscar Peterson “Canadiana Suite” and were then joined by trumpet and flugelhorn player Ruud Breuls from the Dutch Metropole Orchestra.
To this swinging combination was added the amazing voice of Izaline Calister from Curacao in the Dutch Caribbean who guided the audience through the music of the Gershwin opera “Porgy and Bess”. She has the most beautiful voice and her rendition of some of the most plaintiff songs from the show such as “My Man’s Gone Now” were full of emotion.
“If you know the story of ‘Porgy and Bess’, the end leaves something to be desired and you must add your own happy ending,” Calister said. Her happy ending was a spirited version of “There’s a Boat Dat’s Leavin’ Soon for New York”.
The evening then entered an extremely informal stage, ending with a massive jam session to send home a very satisfied audience.
A wonderful end to a great week of jazz – we look forward to an even better experience next year!

Santi Wongsawat is the president of International Jazz Festival Alliance Foundation.