BORNEO MUSIC
TALENT SEARCH

Borneo Jazz Festival 2019 is proud to present its 2nd Edition Talent Search adding an all-new category for DJ’s. We believe that musical talent, especially among young and emerging musicians, must be cultivated in a space that celebrates regional music traditions in an international context.

Julian Chan
Jazz Orchestra

The Julian Chan Jazz Orchestra (JCJO) is a community jazz orchestra formed by Malaysian saxophonist Julian Chan, for the purpose of developing a platform for musicians within the Klang Valley to play in a large jazz ensemble.

CHANDA RULE

With feet rooted in gospel, a heart filled with soul, and a voice touched with jazz, singer and songwriter Chanda Rule has been weaving stories through song, humming melodies, and bending words since her childhood.

KIRK LIGHTSEY TRIO

Kirk Lightsey is a Michigan-born pianist of immense accomplishment and versatility who worked with scores of major jazz stars. Lightsey also played for Motown hit recording sessions, and made time to study with classical pianist Boris Maximovich.

BORNEO HIP HOP

Benzooloo, with major influences from internationally acclaimed artists such as Kendrick Lamar, J.Cole, Hopsin and Watsky, Sabah native Benny Francis (aka Benzooloo) is a fresh face to the local hip hop scene. Having been raised on R&B and Jazz, Ben has gained attention from fans for his ability to incorporate various genres to his music.

BORNEO HIP HOP BAND FT. JOE FLIZZOW

Founder and CEO of Kartel Records, Joe Flizzow is a singer-songwriter, music producer, entrepreneur, and Malaysia’s International Hip Hop Ambassador. In 2015, his song ‘What’s To Be Said’ won ‘Best Song’ at the 29th Song Champion Awards, and his other song ‘Apa Khabar’ won ‘Best Hip Hop Song’ at the 21st Music Industry Awards.

JULIAN CHAN JAZZ ORCHESTRA FT PETE KALLANG, CLINTON CHUA, JOE BALANJIU JR

IRESON

Founded in 1991 by Mexican pianist and composer, Alina Ramírez and bassist, guitarist, composer and arranger, Mario Lopez, IRESON also includes Mexican musicians Moy Olivera on timbales & drums, and young sonero, Jose Manuel.

DASHA LOGAN

Dasha Logan is a Jazz, Funk, Soul and R&B singer who is no stranger to the music scene. Daughter to the late legendary Loganathan from the Alleycats, Dasha is an ambassador of MVTV Asia’s Young Entertainment Star Malaysia program, supported by the National Film Development Corporation.

DJ MAESTRO

It was his first compilation for legendary jazz label, Blue Note, in 2003 that put DJ Maestro (aka Martijn Barkhuis) on the map. To date, the Amsterdam-based deejay has done eight editions of the Blue Note Trip boutique series, where he has won six platinum awards, and also dipped into the label’s Bossa Nova catalogue for the Brazilian Trip compilation.

NJWA

Malaysian “Soulstress” NJWA believes that through art an audience is able to experience a visible and audible expression of the artists’ emotion. After returning from a three-year hiatus from New York, she incorporated a darker undertone experimenting with somber and minimalistic echoes over the usual warm piano accompaniments.

FOX CAPTURE PLAN

Formed in 2011 with Ryo Kishimoto on Piano, Hidehiro Kawai on Double Bass, and Tsukasa Inoue on Drums, Fox Capture Plan bills themselves as a contemporary Japanese Jazz Rock band.

ALBERTO MARSICO TRIO

Alberto Marsico was born in Turin, Italy in 1966, and has become one of the most renowned European Organ players. Marsico’s true love and passion for the organ first came about when he attended a workshop by the late Jack McDuff in 1994, an American jazz organist who was most prominent during the hard bop and soul jazz era of the 1960s.