12-Hour Jazz Marathon Raises Funds For Malaysian Real Book Project
Online jazz marathon to feature 20 jazz bands, 5 sound engineers, partnering also with RAP Distribution, Jao Tim and Royal Selangor Pewter.
Online jazz marathon to feature 20 jazz bands, 5 sound engineers, partnering also with RAP Distribution, Jao Tim and Royal Selangor Pewter.
Malaysia Jazz Marathon 2020, held at Royal Selangor Pewter, goes livestream to help raise funds for the Malaysia Real Book Project. Photo courtesy of Horng Yih Wong.
In what may seem to be another canceled event, the MJPF-TGT Jazz Festival 2020 is, with tenacious persistence, evolving rather unequivocally alongside lockdowns and movement restrictions. Initially postponed, the live event was canceled after its venue close down due to the increasing coronavirus infection nationwide.
But with the excitement still cranked high, there was a need for drastic transformation; one that can be digitally enjoyed from home. Themed ‘Keeping Music Alive’ the Malaysian Jazz Marathon became Malaysia’s very first 12-hour virtual event held last Sunday, live from Royal Selangor Pewter’s headquarter.
Featuring twenty diverse musical numbers, the marathon, at its core, besides providing a platform for Malaysia’s jazz musicians to show off their talents, aims to raise funds for the Malaysian Real Book (MRB) project, one of Malaysian Jazz Piano festival’s (MJPF) latest cause.
The MRB project, spearheaded by Cher Siang Tay, is a compilation which will soon print its very first edition (available from March 2021 onwards) showcasing Malaysian popular and folk tunes. In the history of Malaysian music, this will be the first of its kind.
In a recent telephone interview with Cher Siang Tay: “Because of increasing positive cases [in Malaysia], the venue called off the festival. But since we still have the bands, why not build an audience online.“
“We’re looking to raise around RM60,000 – RM80,000 to pay for the costs of 1,000 physical copies of the real book. The project is ongoing and half of the book has already been compiled. It’s heartwarming to see that many artists and musicians have already come on board.”
Watch the first part of the 12-hour Jazz Marathon here. (Live performance was held last Sunday, 15 November 2020)
Featured artists and musicians:
Michael Veerapen
Aaron Teoh
Janet Lee
Shaun & Jessica
New Village Music Lab
Junji Delfino
David Gomes
Rizal Tony
Cyanus
Bonahop
Jiwang
Eddin Khoo
WVC
Private Property Ft 3ofUs
Fazz
JSY
The Frankie Sixes
Kangkung Belacan
Sophia Ng & The Frozen Mug
Wong Foo Jeng
Production teams:
Alex Tan [Starmount Studio]
Rozhan Razman [R.M.P Productions]
BijanFx [ATAS]
JD Wong [Studio 21:05]
Anthony Yap [Big A Productions]
Founded by jazz pianist Michael Veerapen and eight other Malaysian jazz pianists, MJPF began as a passion project, eventually flourished into a festival that celebrates the tradition and culture of jazz music.
To order the Malaysian Real Book, please directly message @MalaysianJazzPianoFestival on their Facebook page.
