Article and photos courtesy of Taichung City Government Information Bureau
Translated by Anna Yang
Since its inaugural event in 2003, the Taichung Jazz Festival has stood apart in Taiwan as a rare, large-scale showcase for jazz music, not to mention a Taichung cultural highlight. With audience numbers increasing by the year, this independent musical event–held each year in October–has grown to join the Tokyo Jazz Festival, Bangkok Jazz Festival, and Seoul Jazz Festival as Asia’s four major jazz festivals.
Musical magic showcases Taichung’s charming culture and ambiance
“Jazz You Up” will be the main theme for this 17th Taichung Jazz Festival, as jazz once again fills the autumn air, enchanting audiences with its ability to exceed limits and boundaries while musicians accent the uniquely relaxed, free and sensual attributes of this musical genre.
This year musical groups and artists from 15 countries around the world will give a total of 53 performances. The event will also feature 100 street artists, international food vendors, creative and cultural handicrafts vendors, and a series of classes and activities focused on youth jazz ensemble training, jazz seminars, and musical competitions, all serving to boost Taichung’s culture, education and economic prosperity. This event also highlights the city’s positive cultural and creative side and is the public’s favorite annual musical feast.
15 top musicians to perform after ‘Double Ten’ Day
This year’s Taichung Jazz Festival will allow you to enjoy top jazz musicians from every corner of the world, including the United States, Poland, Spain, France, Japan and Taiwan. Among 2019’s special guest artists is globally-renowned saxophonist Antonio Hart, who earned a 1997 Grammy nomination for “Best Jazz Instrumental Solo” as well as a 2010 Grammy nomination for “Best Jazz Instrumental Album”. Hart is bringing his band to Taichung to perform a “hard bop” style that jazz fans will love.
The festival line-up includes the jazz trumpeter Derrick Gardner, whose extraordinary creative, natural talent launched a top-flight career that has taken him around the world, performing internationally with the Count Basie Orchestra. In 2009, he received a “Best Jazz Album” award at the 9th Annual Independent Music Awards. Among other guests this year is Rangsit Jazz Orchestra, one of Thailand’s premier student jazz orchestras, whose innovative musical style has become quite popular in the jazz world. As this year marks the centennial celebration of jazz legend Art Blakey’s (1919-1990) birthday, another special feature of this year’s festival will be top Taiwanese drummer Rich Huang joining a number of other top local musicians in performing a series of Art Blakey pieces. As usual, the 2019 Taichung Jazz Festival’s main stage will be on Civic Square, with two gigantic screens set up to display close-ups of live performances. This festival is not limited to the downtown area, either, with jazz performances and activities also taking place in Taichung’s mountain, coastal and “tun” districts, allowing plenty of opportunities for everyone to swing freely to the sounds and rhythms of jazz.
台中爵士音樂節
台中爵士音樂節源起於2003年，當時為台中文化季的壓軸，被譽為台灣難得的大型爵士音樂活動，隨著參與人數逐年成長，逐漸擴大為一項獨立於每年10月前後舉辦的音樂活動；一路走來，台中爵士音樂節擁有的規模及知名度，已和東京爵士音樂節、曼谷爵士音樂節、首爾國際爵士音樂節並列亞洲四大爵士音樂節。
釋放音樂的魅力，塑造屬於台中的城市文化氛圍
秋季的台中很爵士，邁入第十七年的2019台中爵士音樂節以「Jazz You Up」為主題，將爵士樂延伸為「無所不在」的生活調味品。城市氛圍縈繞著如樂曲般的悠閒、浪漫，生活節奏就像聆聽一支支動人的爵士樂曲，令人翩然起舞、陶醉其中。 今年邀集15個國家頂尖樂團和樂手帶來53場演出，現場搭配100組街頭藝人、異國美食攤位、手作文創攤位，以及青少年爵士樂團培訓課程、爵士講堂、樂團比賽等系列活動，在提升城市文化、教育甚至對於經濟上的發展都具意義，整個城市散發出濃濃的文藝氣息，是民眾每年都引頸期盼的音樂饗宴。
雙十國慶後登場 邀15國頂尖樂團、樂手精彩演出
台中爵士音樂節號召全球爵士頂尖好手跨國交流，匯聚美國、波蘭、西班牙、法國、日本等數十組國內外重量級團隊。今年的國際卡司有1997年葛萊美獎最佳樂器獨奏獎、2010年葛萊美獎最佳爵士合奏專輯獎得主薩克斯風手Antonio Hart，他將帶著樂團來台炫技，屆時爵士樂迷將可欣賞到一代大師「硬式咆勃（HardBop）」風格的爵士樂。 另外，曾任著名爵士樂團貝西伯爵大樂團（Count Basie）小號手的Derrick Gardner，擁有非凡的演奏技巧、及充滿想像、創造力的旋律，他在2009年榮獲美國獨立音樂大獎第9屆最佳爵士專輯獎，今年也會來台中演出。
爵士大樂團首度邀請泰國首屈一指的爵士音樂學校「泰國蘭實大學（Rangsit University）爵士大樂團，他們的樂風嶄新，已成為當代爵士音樂圈不可小覷的實力派潮流；另外多次參與演出、今年榮獲台北市傑出演藝團隊殊榮的「台北爵士大樂團」也有全新的節目企劃，要與樂迷相見歡。 值得一提的是，2019年是被尊稱「節奏大師」的爵士鼓手Art Blakey的100歲冥誕，今年將由「台灣鼓王」黃瑞豐老師、台灣樂手們組成特別企劃樂隊，重新改編和演繹Art Blakey的幾首經典曲目，向爵士大師致敬。
2019台中爵士音樂節於市民廣場主舞台區設有兩座巨型投影幕，讓影像與聲音能同時呈現於整個廣場。此外，活動期間的週末，突破過往山、海、屯演出場地的限制，爵士樂系列活動將帶來精采的演出，歡迎全民共襄盛舉、一同跟著爵士搖擺！