Travels in Borneo, the land of the orang-utan

IT was somewhere between a refreshing beer and just before the drum beats of Canadian band Iskwew that I looked around and realised how at home I was in a remote cultural village in the middle of Borneo.

It was the three-day Rainforest World Music Festival - a tribal Big Day Out - that hooked me on Malaysia.

It only took an hour to drive from the bustling city of Kuching to the Sarawak Cultural Village where the festival was in full swing with music workshops, sizzling food stalls and performers tuning up.

We stayed at the Kuching Hilton, an imposing hotel of 315 guest rooms perched on the Sarawak River.

The city was laid at our feet and we could explore the waterfront, pose with the city’s bizarre giant cat statues and brush up on local history in the Sarawak Museum.

A leisurely 275km journey, with stops at rubber, cocoa and pepper farms and a short boat ride, took us to the Batang Ai Longhouse Resort, managed by Hilton, its only jungle property.

Its 11 accommodation blocks are based on traditional Borneo longhouses.

Tours upstream the Ulu Air river in motorised longboats led us to the start of a humid but memorable trek under the rainforest canopy of the Batang Ai National Park, home to protected wildlife like orang-utans, hornbills and gibbons.

We were on the lookout for the notoriously shy ‘rangas’, but the only sign of them was their droppings in the middle of our track. Still, it was nice to know they were there, high up in the trees, watching us.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Travels in Borneo, the land of the orang-utan

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Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival: Forest gig

Imagine a music festival where it is easy to buy a drink and there is plenty of space to wander around markets and food stalls. A concert where there are no queues for toilets and a beer costs 8RM ($2.50).

Far from the Australian festival scene, the Rainforest World Music Festival is a three-day event held annually in Sarawak, Malaysia.

I head along to the first night of the festival, at the base of Mt Santubong, a 45-minute drive from the city of Kuching.

Held at the Sarawak Cultural Village, the festival is in the middle of the rainforest.

Although nearly 30,000 people flock to it each year, the festival has a surprisingly chilled-out vibe.

During the day there are musicians' workshops, jam sessions and a craft bazaar, and as the light fades, these give way to the main concert performances.

Many of the festival-goers I meet are content to sit on a grassy hill under trees lit up with beams of coloured light while the artists play.

Some visit market stalls to have intricate patterns cut into their hair while others relax in bars set up away from the main stages and watch all the action on big screens.

It is just the kind of place that makes me feel like getting a henna tattoo.

Despite the laid-back attitude of Rainforest World Music Festival fans, or perhaps because of it, the event has been rated one of the best 25 international festivals by British world music magazine Songlines.

We arrive about 7pm, in time to see a huge Malaysian band perform a show packed with more colour and smiles than a musical at Disneyland.

Next up are a group of Canadian singers, who in my ignorance about world music sound a little too much like wailing.

All night, the heavens threaten to open and turn the event into a giant mud puddle dotted with people in plastic sheets but, thankfully, the downpour holds off.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival: Forest gig

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Sounds from the Rainforest

Festival rocks with song, dance and jam sessions

After a year's absence, the World Beat team headed down South to the jungles of Borneo for the 14th Rainforest World Music Festival last week for three days of music, dancing, workshops and mad jam sessions by musicians after each night's concert.

The event is held annually at the Sarawak Cultural Village, about 35km outside Kuching, the capital of Sarawak state, in Malaysia. The festival site is set at the foot of Mount Santubong, where a collection of longhouses surround a small lake - it's an idyllic place for a festival.

After heavy rain at the past two festivals, the organisers have put in better drainage in front of the stage, rebuilt the second stage and one of the longhouses. And with full corporate sponsorship, the site had become better organised. The second stage no longer features short skits from comedic musical acts - and I must admit I missed these wacky, zany bands - but rather concerts by trios and quartets.

As with previous years, a highlight was the varied workshops held in the afternoons, in two sessions, which offered fans the chance to see performers up close. Percussion sessions like "Drum Dance", "Beat Guru" and "The Rhythm Method" drew packed (long) houses, as did the fiddle workshop, "Femme Fiddles". Two workshops that stood out for me were the string-themed "Flying Fingers" and a bagpipe special (I had no idea there are so many kinds of bagpipes) called "My Main Squeeze".

In between the workshops, festival-goers were treated to a rare and ancient tradition - water music from a lovely bunch of ladies from the Vanuatu islands in the Pacific. The Leweton Women's Water Music waded into the lake at the Cultural Village up to their waists and proceeded to beguile us all with percussive beats on the water that mimicked the sounds in their environment: The Sound of Rain on Water, Waves Breaking on the Reef and The Sound of the Dolphin, and so on. I enjoyed it so much I went back several times to watch how they made music using a material (water) that is fluid. Amazing.

Friday night kicked off the night shows with the soft, ethereal strings of the sape, or Borneo boat lute, played by the Masters of Sape - Mathew Ngau Jau, Tegit Asat and Asang Lawai. Matthew is a regular at the festival but I wondered what had happened to some of the younger players and bands we've had at previous festivals. In fact, with the next act, a gamelan ensemble from neighbouring Sabah, only two Malaysian bands played over the three days and there were no other bands from the region. That's something the organisers should look at.

The Friday night was, I thought, a bit flat, although the Victor Valdez Trio from Mexico livened up proceedings, as did one of my favourite bands from the festival, The Blue Canyon Boys from Kentucky, USA, who featured a fantastic banjo player, Jeff Scroggins, in their bluegrass music.

Europe dominated the early part of Saturday night, with The Shin from Georgia the pick and the pace picked up with a jaunty set from Ireland's The Paddy Keenan Trio, featuring Paddy himself on the uilleann pipes. The Warsaw Village Band then picked up the baton and whipped through a wonderful set of ancient Polish folk tunes, cranked up to the present day. The crowd was heaving by this point, ready to dance and Joaquin Diaz brought the place to fever pitch with his accordion-based merengue music from Dominica. You'll be hard pressed to find a faster dance music anywhere on the planet.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Sounds from the Rainforest
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Discovering the hidden gems of Kuching

I HAVE always lamented coming back to Kuching for my semester holidays.

Aside from frequenting the cinemas or kopitiam, I have no idea where else to go.

But my first visit to the recent Rainforest World Craft Bazaar (RWCB) changed my perception about my hometown which actually has a lot to offer.

I was assigned to cover the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2011 for three days.

The Bazaar was held in conjunction with RWMF 2011 at Sarawak Cultural Village to showcase arts and crafts from around the globe.

As I read the word ‘craft’ on the festival programme, my eyes lit up – it’s a perfect excuse to satisfy my craving to shop for handicrafts.

It has been years since I went to the Sarawak Cultural Village.

As I walked toward the Melanau Tall House where the Bazaar was held, the view of the Village took away my breath and filled me with awe.

Lush green rainforest surrounds the village, guarded by pristine Mount Santubong.

The gorgeous view was reflected by the placid lake in the centre of the Village.

I whip out my camera phone to capture the moment.

At the Bazaar, the soothing sounds of sape, played by a local musician on a nearby stage, welcomed local and foreign visitors alike.

The laid-back tempo seemed to slow down time, and offered a relaxing ambience.

The afternoon sun was scorching hot but the visitors were protected by Mother Nature with the thick foliage of the rainforest.

Being at the Bazaar felt like reverting back to the old days.

Many traditional crafts and games were displayed.

There were Malay children in their traditional Baju Melayu expertly spinning the gasing (traditional wooden top) while an elderly Malay man was in deep concentration, sculpturing a wooden doll with a sharp knife. Nearby, two women were sitting on the wooden floor, busy frying kuih bahulu in a wok.

The apetite-whetting aroma of these cakes filled the air and placated my growling stomach.

As I browsed around to find good bargains, I realised the wide array of the local handicrafts was more than an excuse to shop.

They showed an amazing display of Borneo’s rich and diverse cultures.

Every ethnic group has different crafts, artworks and jewellery yet when displayed together, the beautiful resemblance is evident.

Borneo handicrafts use a lot of colours, and when put together on one table, they are an amazing sight to behold.

An explosion of colours lit up the place — sunny yellow ethnic jewellery, fire-like orange beads, ocean blue ethnic pendants, deep green bamboo coin banks and brown and red weave baskets — all arranged neatly at the display tables.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Discovering the hidden gems of Kuching

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Expecting the unexpected at the Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival

FROM its humble beginnings 14 years ago, the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) has grown into one of world’s best international festivals (as voted by music magazine Songlines) and the paramount attraction in Sarawak’s tourism calendar.

Surveying the motley crew of visitors, performers, volunteers and media in the audience of festival goers during the 14th RWMF last weekend, it’s easy to understand why the festival has spawned a unique culture all its own.

For most first-time festival goers, they are drawn by the promise of witnessing world-class music acts from around the globe against the unprecedented stage setting of a tropical rainforest. It’s the chance to flock together with other like-minded music lovers and immerse themselves in the exhilarating world of music where the traditional and the contemporary dovetail to form harmonious musical expressions which are at once familiar yet fresh and dynamic.

For returning festival goers, it’s all these things plus an annual pilgrimage of sorts – a time set apart in the year to enjoy good music and meet up with friends and acquaintances from far and near – with Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV), Santubong, as the point of confluence. It’s a time to renew old bonds and friendships.

But what all of these different groups expect is good music and a good time – something which is still very much a challenge for the festival’s organisers even with 13 festival’s worth of experience under their belt.

It could be said the success of the festival largely depends on balancing these different expectations of comfortable predictability with just the right amount of unpredictability, stemming from the pleasant surprise of new discoveries of new music, new acts, and new friends.

Magic of discovery

The afternoon workshop sessions, organised by themes such as instrument types, genres and geographical regions, demonstrate this delicate balancing act at work.

Afternoon workshop sessions are the defining attraction for many new and returning RWMF goers. In addition to giving them the opportunity to interact with performers in a fun and casual setting, it also provides performers with an intimate platform from which to share their unique knowledge, experiences and cultural background with other performers as well as audience members.

This successful formula of thematic workshops rarely changes from year to year but it does not always lead to the same outcome.

For example, this year’s ‘The Rhythm Method’ workshop. As the percussionists representing Afro Caribbean (Joaquin Diaz – Dominican Republic, Malike Pathe Sow – Senegal), bhangra-rock (Kissmet – UK), Eastern European (Warsaw Village Band – Poland) and gamelan (Agung Beat – Sabah) played in unison, it almost seemed possible that the venue was in danger of falling in on itself – such was the roar of appreciation from the crowd, clapping their hands and stomping on the wooden floor in time to the music.

A loud, rip-roaring good time is the outcome which the RWMF crowd have come to expect from the two or three percussions workshops organised every year.

But what they did not expect but, nonetheless, found themselves enthusiastically participating in was singing and dancing en masse in synchronisation to a bhangra rhythm led by the tabla, complete with familiar Bollywood-esquehand gestures thrown in for good measure.

Adding to the mix, the organisers also introduced twice daily 20-minute performance by Leweton Women’s Water Music – which was a stroke of ingenuity on their part as this group fast became a crowd favourite despite not having a performance slot during the main night concerts.

Dressed in traditional garbs hand-made from leaves, freshly plucked from plants around Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV), the group’s six female members began their moving performance with a swaying dance by the man-made lake at the centre of SCV before wading into its waters until water levels reached up to their waists.

Then, using only water as their instrument, these women astounded onlookers by producing a surprisingly wide range of sounds – from deep, resounding booms to light splashes reminiscent of fish splashing in shallow waters – beating the water with their bare hands while singing and dancing in time to the rhythms.

The festival marked their maiden trip outside their home country of Vanuatu to perform but these unassuming women with shy but ready smiles quickly won the hearts of many festival goers.

Magic of music

As for this year’s night concerts, probably the most unexpected thing to occur was that the weather stayed clear and the (in)famous muddy moshpit of years past did not make its usual showing – much to the disappointment of some festival goers who missed getting down and dirty.

This year, the organisers largely managed to achieve the right balance of contemporary and traditional world music acts, traversing the gulf between fans demanding world ethnic music versus festival goers who just wanted to party.

As expected, the show stealers were mainly those able to get the crowd on their feet and dancing. Memorable sets included Grammy nominated zydeco-Cajun music group Lisa Haley and the Zydecats (USA), Australian folk music ensemble Kamerunga, bhangra-rock fusion group Kissmet (UK), Mexican music act Victor Valdez Trio, Latin-Caribbean music maestro Joaquin Diaz (Dominican Republic), and Paddy Keenan (Ireland).

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Expecting the unexpected at the Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival
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Rainforest World Music Festival

By George Francis

MIRI - There was no rain in Santubong last weekend despite its name tagged..Rainforest.. as it usually rains during this time of the year; there was no resounding rhythms of the rain but forest, yes! Thanks to the good weather for entire three-day of the 14th edition of Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2011, which offered more than 20,000 enthusiasts a fantastic concerts by top musicians.

There's nothing quite like the atmosphere of a music festival. Then again, there's nothing quite like the RWMF!

It was where people regardless of their ethnicities, cultural backgrounds and music interests came together to have a blast of musical fun.

The festival continued to grow and attracted attendees from around the world with more bands and artistes with bigger international names, said its organisers, the Sarawak Tourism Board.

Apart from main-stage night concerts, attendees were caught up with daytime musical workshops, sunset concerts or group jam sessions as well as delighted in cultural displays, craft displays as well as variety of food stalls.

Running from July 8 to 10 at the Sarawak Cultural Village, 35 km from state capital Kuching, under the imposing shadow of Mount Santubong in the midst of virgin rainforest the festival emphasised the use of traditional acoustic world instruments with of course, common electric instrument accompaniment. It really was reconnecting the world with nature once more through music and culture!

This year featured 22 bands including international names: Grammy nominated Lisa Haley and the Zydecats of USA, award winning Blue Canyon Boys of USA; famous world music IIgi from Latvia, Kissmet of UK and from Georgia, The Shin.

A special addition side performance this year, saw the Leweton Women's Water Music Group of Vanuatu. They performed daytime in the cultural village lake showing their beautiful percussive water music....as the water itself is the instrument. The water is beaten in rhythmic dance of bodies and waves producing a wide range of sounds intoxicating rhythms.

Among the myriad performers were Masters of Sape (Sarawak, Malaysia), AgungBeat (Sabah, Malaysia), DuOud of Tunisia/Algeria, Frigg (Finland), Iskwew (Canada), Joaquin Diaz of Dominican Republic, Kamafei (Italy), Kamerunga (Australia), Kenge Kenge Orutu System (Kenya), Malike Pathe Sow (Senegal), Mamak Khadem (Iran), Pacific Curis (New Zealand, Paddy Keenan (Ireland), Startijen (France), Victor Valdez (Mexico) and Warsaw Village Band of Poland.

The grand finale featuring all 22 bands on stage wrapped up a superb three-night concert; proven to be a hit with audiences with many foreign music lovers promised to come back next year.

RWMF has been voted for the second consecutive year as one of the Top 25 Best International Festivals by renowned world music magazine, Songlines, elevating its status in the international music scene as the festival, which has well and truly put Sarawak on the world tourism map.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin Weekend
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Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival: Gold mine in the making

FROM a humble beginning and now into its 14th year, our very own local tourism product, the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF), is now in its adolescent stage and fast gaining global recognition.

Conceived and incepted during the global meltdown amidst the worst haze ever engulfed the state in 1997, RWMF started off as a small music festival celebrated around the main lake at the Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV).

The then Minister of Tourism Tan Sri Dr James Masing said the initial three years of the festival was a simple gathering of local and foreign musicians.

“In the first three years of RWMF, most of the audience were seating on plastic chairs around the lake (at SCV), listening to the sound of tribal music from around the world,” Masing told The Borneo Post.

He said he dared to venture into his ‘new baby’ after he was inspired by a Canadian musician.

“Then I approached our Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud for an initial allocation of RM250,000 to kick-start the festival.

“He asked me whether I could guarantee its success, but I replied, sir, I can’t guarantee you its success, but I can guarantee you that it will not be successful if we don’t start it,” he reminiscenced.

For now, Masing who is an anthropologist by training, hoped that the festival would be well managed so that it will continue to bring both revenue and good music.

He also dismissed the idea for any change in the genre of music for the festival as any of such attempts would defeat its very purpose and objective.

“Ours is focus on ethnic and cultural music. We should maintain the present genre and not go pop. Otherwise we will kill the goose that lays the golden egg,” he warned.

It should now be managing success as anything less would not do justice to pioneers who have slogged it out and toiled all these years.

A Canadian performer said that the RWMF has now reached world standard especially those who managed it.

“I am astonished to find out that this RWMF is indeed of world class, especially on overall management, sound system, lightings and the presentation of musicians,” he said.

He disclosed that in Canada, the Montreal Music Festival could attract some two million people annually.

“So don’t worry, you are in the right track. It will take some time to grow. Yours is only 14 years old, so let it be that way. Just manage it well,” he advised.

As for a local visitor, she had expected the festival to be a flop as there were so many stories and bad experiences from her friends.

“But to my surprise, I had a great time as the concert provided relaxing atmosphere where many just danced to the tunes of the music. And to the vast majority, they just sat down and enjoy good music from all over the world,” she said.

Continue reading at: Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival: Gold mine in the making

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14th Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival ends on high note

KUCHING: The 14th Rainforest World Music Festival ended on a high note with a grand finale which left many festival goers vowing to return for next year’s festival.

Mamak Khadem from Iran kicked off the night’s concert with a transcendental set which featured classical Persian poetry and music, fusing traditional sounds with contemporary styles to create an aurally surreal atmosphere amidst the towering trees of Santubong rainforest.

Brittany-based Startijen raised the tempo a notch with their unique rendition of folk dance music using instruments unique to France. They were followed by oud maestros Jean-Pierre and Mehdi Haddab representing Duoud (Tunisia/Algeria) who whipped the growing crowd into a dancing mob with blazingly fast fingerwork on their electric North African lutes against a backdrop of thumping electronic music and throbbing stage lights.

It was then up to Kenge Kenge Orutu System (Kenya) to keep the dance fever going, which they did with an energetic performance of creatively choreographed skits and dance sequences. Thanks to the group’s high enthusiasm, it did not take the audience long to warm up to the sounds of Kenya’s traditional luo music conveyed through a unique assortment of self-made traditional instruments coupled with the animated voices and chants delivered by their front man and other vocalists.

Award-winning Malike Pathe Sow (Senegal) almost did not get to perform because their airline had misplaced their musical instruments. The group was originally slotted to perform on Friday night but swapped places with another group in the hope that their instruments would arrive on time.

Thankfully, they did and the crowd was treated to music from North Senegal. The group has musical roots which go back at least 1,000 years, and which has influenced other more well known music genres such as Afro-Caribbean.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: 14th Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival ends on high note

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Universal appeal of music works wonders at the Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival

SANTUBONG: Music is more than just a sequence of notes played in a particular style.

It is a powerful medium which gives voices to people to share their ideas, culture and history; through which change can be affected; and past people, events and traditions cherished and honoured.

Ilga Reizneice of Latvian group Ilgi said music gave group members a chance to express themselves, not just in a contemporary way.

“Music is one of the ways to communicate between cultures and to deliver our unique cultural message to them,” she told foreign and local members of the press during a media conference late yesterday morning.

She said half-jokingly that some of the performers were exchanging ideas until 6 or 7am that morning and that if it wasn’t for the press conference, they would probably be still in deep discussion.

Members of Kamafei (Italy), Kenge Kenge Orutu System (Kenya), Paddy Keenan Trio (Ireland), Pacific Curls (New Zealand), Frigg (Finland), Joaquin Diaz (Dominican Republic) were also present at the media conference.

Later, guests and staff of 1Hotel Santubong were treated to a performance at the hotel’s poolside by Vanuatu’s Leweton Women’s Water Music.

The performance was their way of thanking artistic director Randy Raine-Reusch for his support in bringing them to the festival.

As expected, Saturday night’s concert was well attended with only standing room within the staging area at its peak.

Despite the threat of cloudy skies earlier in the day, the good weather held up.

The evening kicked off with a sunset concert by the Masters of Sape, followed by the main concert event featuring The SHIN (Georgia), Pacific Curls (New Zealand), Ilgi (Latvia), Paddy Keenan (Ireland), Warsaw Village Band (Poland), Joaquin Diaz (Dominican Republic) and Lisa Haley and the Zydecats (USA).

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Universal appeal of music works wonders at the Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival

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Sarawak Rainforest World Craft Bazaar continues to shine

SANTUBONG: The Rainforest World Craft Bazaar (RWCB) was a big hit among locals, especially female entrepreneurs, judging by both the crowd and gamut of goods sold during the 3-day extravaganza.

Among those participating at the RWCB, which was held in conjunction with the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2011, were four entrepreneurs sponsored by the Women’s Bureau of the Chief Minister’s Department.

The group’s representative Amal Hussain said this was the first time they participated in RWCB and they were thrilled to bits with the response from festival-goers.

“There are always customers at our booths and tourists just love our local handicrafts,” he said.

Amal said that he and his female friends did not want to miss the good business opportunity provided by the Women’s Bureau to promote their goods.

Among items sold at the bazaar were ceramics, traditional costume jewellery from various local ethnic groups and cakes.

“Most of the things we sold were purchased by foreign tourists because they said they wanted something that reflects the beautiful Sarawak culture.”

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Sarawak Rainforest World Craft Bazaar continues to shine

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Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival promotes world peace, understanding

KUCHING: The Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2011 unites the world through music which transcends all barriers, says Tourism and Heritage Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg.

He said music carries the message of peace, and that the interaction among the people who attended such an event help promote understanding and unity.

“I invite everyone to come and see what Sarawak has to offer as we want to share with you our cultures while at the same time learn from you of your country.

“This interaction, I’m sure, will definitely promote an understanding amongst us and, when it’s cemented, I think the world will be at peace,” he said to a deafening applause by performers and the media boys during the launching ceremony of RWMF 2011 at the Kuching Waterfront Godown Amphitheatre on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Sarawak Tourism Board chief executive officer Datuk Rashid Khan said RWMF represented a platform to promote Sarawak’s rich cultural identities and its appeals as a tourist destination.

“RWMF has been voted for the second consecutive year as the ‘Top 25 Best International Festivals’ by renowned world music magazine ‘Songlines’ in the UK. This award elevates its status in the international music scene as a festival which has well and truly put Sarawak on the world tourism map,” he said at the function.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival promotes world peace, understanding

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Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival given top marks by foreign performers

KUCHING: Musicians from abroad yesterday touted the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) as one the best festivals that highlight and dignify their art.

Grammy-nominated band Lisa Haley and the Zydecats, for instance, said that the RWMF is one of their favourite festivals to perform in due to intense positive energy from both performers and audience.

“The festival is amazing and it’s one of the most inclusive festivals we’ve performed at,” said Haley, the vivacious Louisiana native at a press conference yesterday.

Many musicians have also described the RWMF as an excellent venue for them to share their passion of keeping traditional music alive.

“There is a particular thread we all share and that is to keep our traditional cultures alive for the future generation,” said Haley.

Victor Valdez from Mexico, who echoed similar feelings, said performers and audience at the RWMF feed on of each other’s energy to create synergy and inspiration.

“We love playing at festivals such as this one because it provides us with an opportunity to be creative and inspires us to continue doing this kind of music,” said Valdez.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival given top marks by foreign performers

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Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival to be more eco-friendly this year

KUCHING: The ‘Tree Planting’ ceremony yesterday at Damai Central marked the Sarawak Tourism Board’s (STB) first serious bid into creating a greener, more eco-friendly Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF 2011).

Though over the years we have taken small steps like encouraging the use of recyclable material at the venue, we felt that this year, we should make it bigger. – Datuk Rashid Khan, STB chief executive officer

“Though over the years we have taken small steps like encouraging the use of recyclable material at the venue, we felt that this year, we should make it bigger,” said chief executive officer of STB Datuk Rashid Khan at the opening of the ceremony.

“We thus came up with the idea of planting trees in line with the government’s aspiration of planting 26 million trees over a five year period from 2010 to 2014.”

Held at the recently launched Damai Central multi-complex, 1,000 seedlings consisting of both hardwood and exotic species were donated by Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) in support of their ‘Greening Project’.

Samariang assemblywoman Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali, who came on behalf of State Tourism and Heritage Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg, graced the ceremony.

“Our efforts would go some way to balance the carbon footprint from RWMF,” Rashid said, adding that this initiative was also extended to the use of green products and practices at the festival, including STB’s eco-friendly web-hosting provider.

With the world’s increasing focus towards reducing carbon footprints, Rashid stated that part of STB’s concern took into consideration the impact of RWMF which brings in thousands of festival goers every year.

As such, STB is preparing a carbon footprint that will examine the environmental degradation, waste management and other green issues affected by major music festivals such as Borneo Jazz Festival and RWMF.

Waste management from disposables like food containers is a major concern for the event organiser.

“One of the conditions we put this year was that food vendors could not use non-biodegradable materials. We hope that those vendors who have been given contracts to trade at the RWMF will adhere to the agreement.”

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival to be more eco-friendly this year

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Masters of Sape to open for Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival 2011

KUCHING: The Rainforest World Music Festival’s (RWMF) genesis began in 1997 when a band of Sarawakian musicians and dancers travelled to Marseille to perform before professionals of the music industry.

Hardened European agents, managers and festival directors were brought to tears at the sights and sounds of their hauntingly beautiful performances, which included Asang Lawai and Tegit Asat on the traditional sape boat lute.

Fourteen years later, the foremost ‘Masters of the Sape’, Asang and Tegit will be back on the RWMF stage
as the opening act of the annual festival, accompanied by Mathew Ngau Jau who has toured the world representing Sarawak as an artist dancer and musician.

The 14th Rainforest World Music Festival is all set for this weekend.

This three-day inspiring musical and cultural celebration of contemporary and traditional world music will begin this Friday.

Besides evening performances on the main stage, there are afternoon workshops, lectures, jam sessions and smaller concerts.

For purchase/booking/enquiries, please visit www.ticketcharge.com.my or call ticketCharge Hotline at +603-92228811 or at TicketCharge at No. 42A-1, Jalan Metro Pudu, Fraser Business Park, Off Jalan Yew, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Continue reading at: Masters of Sape to open for Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival 2011

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Two USA bands to perform at the Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival

KUCHING: Grammy-nominated Lisa Haley and the Zydekats are one of the leading zydeco bands touring today, representing progressive Louisiana music in Haley’s own neo-traditional zydeco/cajun style.

Bringing this roots music to a worldwide audience has taken this fourth-generation fiddler far beyond traditional zydeco.

Haley, the protégé of legendary Cajun accordionist Joe Simien, the King of Cajun, will be performing at the 14th Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF).

She has also recorded and toured with Sir George Martin (Beatles producer), Grammy-winning artistes KebMo’, Queen Ida, Al Rapone, Randy Newman, Lyle Lovett, Taj Mahal and a host of others.

Nicknamed the ‘Mick Jagger of Zydeco’, Haley stands out as the most energetic violinist and vocalist in America today, igniting the spirits of Cajun/Zydeco, Americana, Jazz, Rock, and Folk fans.

Lisa and her all-star band have toured to over 20 countries.

The award-winning Blue Canyon Boys is another band from the US performing at this year’s festival.

The Blue Canyon Boys offer a unique style of Colorado Bluegrass steeped in tradition with enough excursions to keep all types of music lovers tapping their feet.

This bluegrass powerhouse blends incredible brother-duet-style vocals with hard-driving instrumental proficiency. This is mountain music with a polished twist.

Famed for their impeccable technique and very tight harmonies, this energetic band is driving audiences to their feet and keeping them there.

Continue reading at: Two USA bands to perform at the Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival

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French flavour added to Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival this weekend

KUCHING: The 14th Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) is all set to blast weekend as the festival site is in its final stages of preparation and the musicians have begun arriving and getting ready for their performances, including French band Startijenn.

Startijenn is a musical powerhouse based in the northern province of Brittany in France, home to a rich musical tradition.

Considered a local phenomenon, Startijenn burst into the music scene in 2006 and have not stopped since, garnering awards, praises and a relentless audience.

With a constant desire to surprise and excite, their concerts feature a wild mix of traditional tunes, dynamic arrangements and unique compositions.

Now established as a leading voice in Breton music scene Startijenn have toured to Switzerland, Germany, Holland or Poland. When the music is as good as Startijenn’s, the appeal is universal!

This inspiring musical and cultural celebration of contemporary and traditional world music will be held from July 8 to 10.

As well as evening performances on the main stage, there are afternoon workshops, lectures, jam sessions and smaller concerts.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: French flavour added to Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival this weekend

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Exciting line-up for Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival opening night

KUCHING: The upcoming Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) is expected to open with a bang.

The first night of RWMF will see Sabahan band Agungbeat, Scandinavian folk musicians Frigg and Canadian Native American songstresses Iskwew opening the act.

Featuring the premier talents of the younger generation, Frigg is a band of classically trained folk musicians from Finland and Norway.

They perform Nordgrass: a combination of Nordic folk music and American bluegrass.

With their straight grassroots attitude towards making music, Frigg injects energy, fun, humour and interaction into any gig.

They have recorded five albums and received several nominations for the best folk music album of the year and ‘Top of the World’ appearances on Songlines magazine.

The joy of performing live and giving the audience an energising experience drive this band to keep touring throughout Europe, the US and Canada, which is where fellow performers Iskwew come from.

Iskwew (pronounced ‘is-kway-yo’) means woman in Cree. Made up of founder Sandy Scofield, Debbie Houle and Niska Napoleon, the trio combines their First Nations heritage to create, explore and perform songs in the plains and West Coast traditions of North America.

Their voices weave a sonic dance in celebration of songs that tell stories of the connection to the earth, the creator and one another.

The heartbeat of Mother Earth will be heard through their drums, underscoring a message of community and culture from a people who have survived the impacts of colonisation.

Iskwew has performed at festivals, concerts and First People’s conferences throughout Europe, Canada, Mexico and the US and will be on the RWMF stage on July 8, Friday night. They will also be involved in a music workshop called ‘Drum Dance’ at Dewan Lagenda at the festival site on July 8 and 9.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Exciting line-up for Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival opening night

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Agung Beat to represent Sabah at Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival

One of Malaysia's two representatives performing at the 2011 Rainforest World Music Festival in the Malaysian state of Sabah is Agung Beat, a nineteen-member gamelan ensemble covering new arrangements of traditional Sabahan music, as well as their own contemporary compositions.

Led by composer and lecturer, Roslee Haji Wahid, the ensemble's members are from a variety of ethnic backgrounds that include Kadazan, Dusun, Chinese and Malay, all majoring in music performance at University Malaysia Sabah (UMS).

Agung Beat actively performs in numerous festivals and events in the region such as the Festival Gamelan IPTA, and the Festival Gamelan Sedunia. This is the first performance of gamelan at the Rainforest World Music Festival.

The gamelan is an ensemble of metallophones, xylophones, drums, and gongs native to Malaysia and Indonesia. Each region has its own particular style and repertoire, with gamelan ensembles ranging in size from five or six persons to more than two-dozen performers. Depending on the region, style, and function, gamelan music can range from trance inducing floating melodies, to fiery displays of virtuosity.

Agung Beat is scheduled to heat up the Rainforest World Music Festival stage by being the first performing act on the first night (July 8). Agung Beat will also perform at the daily Musical Workshop at Dewan Lagenda within the festival site and will involve drummers and dancers. This unique 'Drum Dance' session will comprise a mix of musical performances by musicians from Canada, Georgia, Kenya, UK and USA.

The Rainforest World Music Festival has been voted for the second consecutive year as one of the 'Top 25 Best International Festivals' by renowned world music magazine, Songlines, elevating its status in the international music scene as a festival, which has well and truly put Sarawak on the world tourism map and extends its appeal to the shores of neighbouring countries.

Special promotional tickets are currently on offer at the Sarawak Tourism Board's Visitors Information Centres (VIC) in Kuching (082-410944) located at the Sarawak Tourism Complex, Sibu (084-340980) located at Jalan Tukang Besi and Miri (085-434180) located at Jalan Melayu. A three-day ticket will cost RM180 and is only valid between June 20 and 26. The ticket price will return to its original RM300 price once the promotional period is over.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin Weekend
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Kissmet – a fusion of Bhangra and Rock at the Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival

KUCHING: Made up of 6 members from the United Kingdom and India, Kissmet plays a spellbinding blend of Eastern and Western music that will captivate the audience come July 8 to 10 when the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) kicks off.

The band fuses Bhangra (Punjabi folk music from India) and rock together to create something amazing, taking audiences on a roller coaster ride from the East to the West and back again.

Kissmet has performed throughout Europe, South America and Asia. Everywhere they go, they spread the word that it matters not what language you sing in or the style of music you use.

The RMWF is a not-to-be-missed occasion, and guarantees a smashing time in the heart of the Borneo rainforest. This popular event lasts for three days and features activities like informative workshops, ethno-musical lectures and jamming sessions.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Kissmet – a fusion of Bhangra and Rock at the Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival

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Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival going through final preparations

KUCHING: Final preparations for the 14th edition of the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) are underway.

Project manager Pauline Lim held a meeting with the festival’s food and village market vendors yesterday to confirm their participation and brief them on the do’s, don’ts and the guidelines.

A total of 40 stalls will be set up for the festival at Sarawak Cultural Village of which 20 will offer food and drinks. Among the food on offer will be an assortment of western, Japanese, Middle Eastern and Thai cuisines.

Local food will also be available including Sarawak laksa, ayam pansuh, umai Sarawak, mee kolok and an assortment of Nyonya delights.

For children, there will be an assortment of finger food, French fries and ice cream. For those watching their diets, fresh juices and fruits will be in store.

Twenty others stalls will offer handicraft and festival memorabilia.

There will also be a stall doing airbrush ink and henna tattoos and another selling this year’s performer CDs and souvenirs.

The Rainforest World Craft Bazaar will feature handicraft items from various countries.

In line with the festival’s greening campaign, all vendors have been advised to use recyclable products while recycle bins will be provided on the festival grounds.

Food cleanliness and hygiene have been given emphasis and all food waste and regular rubbish is to be properly disposed of in the bins provided.

Continue reading at: Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival going through final preparations

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