Borneo Jazz Festival in Malaysia  7,000 Music Fans Gather from Around the World

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

Music has a way of stirring the deepest emotions within us. From May 9 to 11, the “2014 Borneo Jazz Festival” will attract over 7,000 jazz enthusiasts from around the globe to Miri, the second-largest city in Sarawak, Malaysia. Visitors can also experience the unique blend of history and modernity, nature and culture in Miri—known as the “Oil Town”—and in Niah National Park.


▲The “2014 Borneo Jazz Festival” draws over 7,000 jazz fans from around the world every year. (Photo / Provided by Tourism Malaysia)

Sarawak, the largest state in Malaysia, boasts a diverse ecosystem and is also one of the top destinations in Asia for jazz music. Among its most popular events is the Borneo Jazz Festival, which has been held annually since 2006.

This year, in grand celebration of 2014 as the Year of Festivals Malaysia, the organizers have invited top-tier jazz bands from around the world, making this lineup the most impressive yet. Performers include Georgia’s eight-piece ethno-jazz ensemble Iriao, who will play local folk instruments and harmonies—a musical tradition recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage; Cuba’s Vocal Sampling, an a cappella group with over 20 years of history and a Latin Grammy nomination; Germany’s Brassballet, a fusion of musicians and dancers; and the rising British jazz talent Anthony Strong.