All the jazz at the Colombo Jazz & Blues Festival!

Takes place tomorrow at Galle Face Hotel from 12 noon

The Colombo Jazz & Blues Festival recently announced its stellar lineup which includes a diverse array of headlining acts for the inaugural event, taking place on 7 February at the Galle Face Hotel. 

The concept behind the Colombo Jazz & Blues Festival is a music, culinary and art event, that promises to combine and showcase the talents of the best international jazz artists as well as artists of national renown. This event, the first-of-its-kind in Colombo, promises to be spectacular.

The lineup is the culmination of the festival’s commitment to bringing a diverse and unique group of jazz musicians to Colombo to deliver a collection of performances that includes, exciting new artists, international and local jazz legends and groups all connected around presenting unique musical experiences in a first for Colombo. 

Colombo is a place filled with soul, culture and creativity, and we have a great legacy of music here. The Colombo Jazz & Blues Festival hopes to truly showcase what makes our city special, from food to art to music. 

The festival starts at 12 p.m. on Sunday 7 February and will continue till 11 p.m.  You can start your Sunday off with a leisurely brunch while listening to the first act of the day. Picnic style seating with rugs and cushions are available and can be reserved for groups of eight and above. Delicious picnic baskets with wine, cheese, sandwiches and cold cuts can be ordered as well should you wish to dine al fresco. Other great dining experiences include a sunset seafood barbecue, fish and chips, an oyster and champagne bar and a wine tasting lounge. 

Art forms a large part of the festival with instillations and exhibitions as part of the Colombo Design Studio space at the festival. Movie buffs can take in some short films which will be screened with headphones to allow them to run parallel to the musical acts performing.

Jazz legends like Jimmy Thomas, who has performed with Ike Turner, John Legend and the Rolling Stones will perform alongside famed local artistes like Geoffrey Fernando of Purple Rain fame and Jerome Speldewinde. Upcoming stars like Sannie Fox described by The New Age as “belting out the blues like she was born in a Louisiana swamp” will also form part of the star studded line-up.

Jazz is a genre that evokes such powerful and varied emotion, and it strongly emphasizes the experimentation of sound and musicianship. When putting together artists such as this, Mainstage Events, the organisers of the Colombo Jazz & Blues Festival aim to capture all that diversity, all that makes this art form so beautiful, in one full day of performances. It will definitely be the best way to spend your Sunday tomorrow.

One of the main aims of the Colombo Jazz Festival is to promote Sri Lanka as a key tourist destination with a rich and diverse heritage.

The Jazz & Blues Fest is produced by renowned Mainstage Events. Mainstage Events has a track record of producing successful sold-out events like The Wailers, Mohombi live, High on Heels and Julian Marley. Mainstage Events have consistently delivered exceptional events. Working with the top artists and DJs in the world, its goal and ambition is to deliver what most people have not experienced before, a world class music event, within a world class environment.

As there are a limited number of tickets available, early booking is advisable. Please contact Amrik on 0777 397 818 or Natalie on 0778 774 950 for reservations. For more information log on to www.colombojazzandbluesfestival.com.