The Kathmandu Jazz Festival or Jazzmandu is an annual
Jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
Festival
A festival is an event ordinarily celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, mela, or eid. A festival ...
, organised by Upstairs Ideas in
Kathmandu
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,
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, :ne:नेपाल, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in S ...
.
The festival's name is a
portmanteau
A portmanteau word, or portmanteau (, ) is a blend of words[Jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...](_blank)
and
Kathmandu
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.
History
The first Jazzmandu was held in , building upon the success of the first 'Jazz at Patan' event the previous year. The festival's first edition included performances by the renowned Australian jazz and swing musician Don Burrows, UK singer Natalie Williams, and Australian Jazz/Funk outfit
Afro Dizzi Act, who have since returned to Jazzmandu on several occasions.
Jazzmandu has built on its starting momentum to grow into an internationally recognized, week-long festival, celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2012. It has featured such renowned artists as legendary Indian percussionist
Trilok Gurtu
Trilok Gurtu (born 30 October 1951) is an Indian percussionist and composer whose work has blended the music of India with jazz fusion and world music.
He has worked with Terje Rypdal, Gary Moore, John McLaughlin, Jan Garbarek, Joe Zawinul, ...
, and American jazz drummer
Ari Hoenig.
Jazzmandu 2007 was cancelled due to political unrest and civil conflict in Nepal.
Jazz education in Nepal
Jazzmandu actively promotes music education in Nepal, organizing band competitions, workshops and master classes for young local musicians., and working closely with the
Kathmandu Jazz Conservatory.
Jazzmandu 2012
Jazzmandu 2012 will run from November 1 to 7 and will feature American drummer Tito Puente, Jr., and Thai ensemble Rootman, among others.
References
{{reflist
Jazz festivals in Nepal
2002 establishments in Nepal