MIRI, May 11 - A BLUES HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE, A GRAMMY NOMINEE, bossa nova and sambas, gypsy jazz, Jazz from the Orient, a Dutch sextet, a Japanese quintet, peaceful sounds blending jazz, contemporary Indian roots and rock, Miri born international performer, are among the stunning line-up of artists heading to Miri from every corner of the globe for Borneo Jazz 2011. Borneo Jazz 2011 is the best yet. The upcoming festival's line-up is sensational. This year's event will be a 4 day event and the whole city of Miri will resonate with the sounds of music as the festival will be spread out across the city in different venues where musical meetings will be held during the day, apart from the main shows on the nights of 13-14 May.

Borneo Jazz 2011 takes place in Miri from 12-15 May 2011. With artists hailing from every corner of the globe - India, China, Japan, France, Brazil, Holland, Australia, United States, Canada & Malaysia - Borneo Jazz 2011 is truly an international event. Opening the festival will be a respected guitar player from Mumbai - Dhruv. He will perform at the Borneo Jazz Opening Night on Friday, May 12, 2011. Joining him will be CQuence, a band formed in 2008 by a multicultural group of friends in Miri, Malaysia. A range of nationalities and personalities results in a rich blend of musical styles, which is sure to get you dancing.

This will be opened to the public and dinner is included in the cost of tickets.

Grammy award winner, John Hammond who has repeatedly been voted as one of the top 10 blues artists in the world, will take the stage on Friday night with his combination of brilliant guitar and rack harmonica. Hong Kong's Ng Cheuk-yin, a sheng (mouth-organ) wizard, will also be there and he will be taking this five thousand year old instrument well into the 21st Century, producing an unimaginably rich and unique new jazz sound. His SIU2 augments the traditional jazz rhythm section of bass, drums, and piano with other traditional Chinese instruments such as the sanxien and the zheng. Les Doigts de L'Homme, takes gypsy jazz further than ever before. Infusing this exciting up-tempo music with elements of swing, rock, and even punk, they are pure energy in human form and they will also be there to make you swing to the music. Making their debut will also be Cunha & Piper. From hot bossa nova to sambas Cunha & Piper features contemporary and traditional compositions that have won them fans.

Multiple Grammy nominee Maria Muldaur will perform on Saturday night. She is perhaps best known for her seductive top-ten single "Midnight at the Oasis" and has developed a loyal following of fans of all ages that come out to see this versatile roots music stylist romance an audience as only Maria Muldaur can. Muldaur was nominated again for the 2010 Grammies.

Also heading to Borneo Jazz 2011 is Yuichiro Tokuda's RALYZZ DIG, an emerging star in the Japanese music scene. They will be sharing the stage with State of Monc from Holland who no doubt creates an undeniable compelling vision of where jazz is going. At the cutting edge of pumping dance, complex breakbeats and more traditional jazz, this Dutch sextet spins a unique, new sound that ushers in a new era all its own. Not forgetting our very own, Miri born, but world travelled, Victor Yong and the Electric Carnival Band who are a true voice of international jazz.

Limited tickets will be available at the festival entrance. However, to avoid disappointment please log on to www.ticketcharge.com.my to purchase your tickets online now!

For more details, kindly log on to www.jazzborneo.com, email info@jazzborneo.com or
call the Miri Visitors Information Centre at +6 085-434180 / 81

Issued by:

Corporate Communications Unit
SARAWAK TOURISM BOARD
T : +6 082 423600
F : +6 082 416700
E : stb@sarawaktourism.com