Media Release

Jazz at the Mount: Mount Lavinia Jazz Festival 2010, BIGGER AND BETTER SWUNG!!!

West African jazz and soul quartet, OHZone the Jazz Septet, UK’s very own Dave O Higgins and his jazz trio and taking the best from the orient Dylan Lye and his jazz sextet are ready to capture your jazz interests!

“Jazz at the Mount reflects Mount Lavinia Hotel’s mission to promote Mount Lavinia as Sri Lanka’s jazz hotspot for the local and foreign traveller and to develop a world class event with the intention of creating an iconic event so that Sri Lanka will be placed in the headlines across the world. 15th and 16th of October 2010 the Mount Lavinia Hotel will come alive with Jazz at the Mount with big names like Emile Nelson, Andrew Oh, Blick Bassy and indeed the fabulous line up of our local jazz who have claimed the Jazz circle in Sri Lanka by storm. Jazz at the Mount 2010 could be considered the third chapter in the story of the Jazz music's evolution in Mount Lavinia Hotel and now it has taken a better turn indeed as an annual event in the books of Mount Lavinia Hotel’s strategy to create a positive image in Sri Lanka. “Our main objective of this event is to make people understand that we can work together in peace and harmony through the wonderful medium of music,” avers Mr Anura Dewapura. General Manger of Mount Lavinia Hotel.

This year's edition will be totally focused on a fabulous line-up of international jazz and soul artistes. And the up and coming local jazz talent will be once again held at the Paradise Beach at the Mount Lavinia Hotel.

Rooted now in Mount Lavinia Hotel’s legacy of churning out fabulous and indeed unique initiatives, JAZZ at the Mount 2010 will boast of eight hours of live musical performances focusing on vocal and instrumental jazz sessions, wonderful cuisine depicting world jazz destinations with Sri Lanka too in the menu, and indeed a fabulous atmosphere each day of the fest. Mount Lavinia Hotel is committed to making each year’s event bigger and better. Mr Dewapura states further that, “Our vision for this annual occurrence always scheduled for the third week of October is to bring down big names like Joe Sample, Ramsey Lewis and world’s true jazz greats. And next year bigger names in the world too will be definitely on the cards. ”

Blick Bassy is the new soul voice of Cameroon - soul in the sense of vocals that come from within. Bassy says: “The soul of my music isn’t so much in the words, it’s in the way of singing. In fact, the melody is a mould for the words.” Blick Bassy is the singer/ songwriter/ guitarist/ percussionist connects the music of Central and West Africa and mixes it with bossa nova, jazz and soul. Bassy’s guitar playing and intoxicating, soft voice are enriched by the kora, calabash and a double bass resulting in a unique, haunting sound which is velvety with subtle harmonies, yet also raw with groovy rhythms.

From HongKong, Sri Lankan musician and indeed guitarist Dylan Lye will elate the Sri Lankan music enthusiasts with melodies that indeed come alive. His guitar artistry, and his humble ways has endeared many a fan to him. An imperative member of the highly successful Jetliners led by the living legend Mignone Fernando, who performs at the Regent Hong Kong, for seventeen years, Dylan continues to play in Hong Kong, leading his own group. Who will consist of Adonis De Jesus, Tak Hong Tsang, Anthony Fernandes, Bubu, ever gorgeous Jennifer Palor and Mike Inot's contemporary and classic instrumental jazz in a serious vein on sax.

Contemporary jazz founders and followers of Jazz music in Sri Lanka like Funk Avenue with Upula Madushanka, Primal Liyanage, Umariah, Rakitha, Harsha and indeed Eshantha, and Jean Van Heer Jazz Quintet is the local jazz lineup. What will easily be the stand-out performance at Jazz at the Mount 2010 will be the venue, the Paradise Beach which shares Mount Lavinia Hotel’s spectacular setting—wrapped inside a 200 year heritage site, with the Indian Ocean on one—and a venue blessed with an incredible view of the city’s skyline from afar. And the food and beverage that will be sold at rock bottom prices. “We want to create a jazz fest atmosphere so we will have action stations that will consist of foods synonymous to world jazz destination’s like Chicago, New Orleans, UK, the Caribbean and yet we will have the Kottus, Hoppers and finger food that Sri Lanka craves for.”

OHZone from Down Under consists of Andrew Oh, a Singapore born Australian stands out as an extremely accomplished saxophonist of international standard who leads the Jazz septet. Armondo Hurley on vocals, bassist Emile Nelson, guitarist Rex Goh, Mitch Farmer on Drums, Sunil De Silva who has established a formidable reputation as Australia’s premier hand percussionist during the last 25 years and Ara Naccesius on Keyboards.

Emile is a Sydney session musician who is comfortable in any musical situation from jazz, country, Latin, fusion, pop, etc. He has recorded and played all styles.

Dave O’Higgins Quartet from the UK consists of Dave O’Higgins – a tenor Saxophonist, pianist, double bassist and drummer. As the Jazz Guide states “A stunning player in the neo-bop vein, with an apparently effortless flow of coherent ideas, beautiful time and a highly developed harmonic sense.”

The main partners of this event thus far are Sri Lankan airlines is the official travel sponsor.
For more information about Jazz at the Mount 2010, visit www.mountlaviniahotel.com