KATHMANDU: Formed in early 2011 by musicians teaching at the Kathmandu Jazz Conservatory (KJC), Jhamsikhel, the KJC Faculty Combo plays music from a diverse range of musical genres with a few surprises thrown into them. The musicians’ line-up for the group is flexible and takes many forms depending on who is available. However, Subani Moktan and Olivia James on vocals, Inap Raj Shrestha on saxophone, Misun Kim on keyboards, Mahesh Tandukar on guitar, Hemraj Chettri Nepal on drums and Marcus Dengate on bass make the primary members of this group.
At Surya Nepal Jazzmandu 2011, this group is going to groove slow jazz to funk jazz. They will also be doing a few swings as well.
Sharing on what the band is dishing out to the audience at the jazz festival, Shrestha said, “We will be doing cover numbers and playing both songs and instrumentals numbers.”
To find out what cover numbers they will be rendering, one will have to be a part of the festival.
These musicians are talented and versatile alongside their extensive teaching at KJC and performance experiences.
Having some fun along the way, showcasing musical abilities of each member and repertoires among the students of KJC and potential students through concerts at schools throughout the Kathmandu valley is the main objective of the band.
They believe in promoting and cultivating jazz appreciation among the general public and it is the basic idea of performing in Jazzmandu this year. “We are a jazz school and Jazzmandu is a jazz festival. Our participation is a must and we too want to give a positive message through our participation,” opined Shrestha.
Spreading the knowledge of jazz, the band is looking forward to their debut performance at Jazzmandu.
Surya Nepal Jazzmandu 2011 is scheduled from October 20 to 25 and will be held in different venues across the Capital. The Himalayan Times is the official media of the festival. (The Himalayan Times)
