The 5th KK Jazz Festival ended on a high note on Saturday, with close to 3,000 fans attending this popular 2 night event. Many regular KKJF goers touted this year's festival as being the best put forth by the organizing committee, with some proclaiming it a success through and through.

Held at Sutera Harbour's covered tennis courts the KKJF ensured a great time was had by all. With a fun and relaxed ambiance, plenty of good cheer and stellar performances by all the artistes, it would be difficult to highlight only some. But those that stood out would have to be the smooth, smokey sounds of Sabahan ensemble Elixir, the awesome one-man band spectacle that was Juzzie Smith, the sharply tight groove belonging to The Benny Lackner Trio and the spectacular finale that was superbly presented by the boisterous and highly enthusiastic Aseana Percussion Unit.

Equally memorable was the superb showmanship of Indonesian Idol finalist Lucky, a wonderfully ethnic gamelan performance by AgungBeat with guest singer Dayang Nuraini, a touch of blues from KK's very own Momain Blues, the unique sound of Spice of Tones, the deft musical stylings of the WVC Trio + 1 and the originality of Malaysia's very own Z Yan with her special blend of Chinese Bossa Nova. Japanese pianist Mariko Hata also dropped by to give a special performance as part of her goodwill trip to Sabah, to thank Malaysians for their kindness and generosity shown to Japanese tsunami victims. Winners of the Sabah Jazz Talent Search, SIA Little Jazz also gave up a great show, deserving of their win.

Members of the public were also given the opportunity to attend workshops by Aseana Percussion Unit, WVC Trio and Juzzie Smith – a great platform for interacting musically with a smaller, more intimate feel.

The KK Jazz Festival is a yearly event co-organized by the Rotary Club of Kota Kinabalu and the Society of Performing Arts Kota Kinabalu Sabah (SPArKS). Staged in the picturesque nature resort city of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, the jazz festival brings together a musical melting pot of talents from around the world.

As with previous years, proceeds from the KKJF go towards funding important community projects run by the Rotary Club of Kota Kinabalu, namely:

The sponsors of this year's KKJF are Sabah Development Bank Berhad, Sabah Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Carlsberg and DiGi.

W: www.kkjazzfest.com

Images courtesy of Glory Studio