BEIJING, April 23 -- Chinese and international jazz bands will perform at the first Yalong Bay Beach Jazz Festival April 27 and 28 in Sanya, Hainan Island. Guests of the Hilton, Marriott and Sheraton will be admitted free, writes Xu Wei.

    Jazz goes with sun, moonlight, sand, surf and the Hainan Island tropics. Three five-star resorts in Sanya - the Hilton Resort and Spa, the Marriott Resort and Spa and the Sheraton Resort - will present the first Yalong Bay Beach Jazz Festival April 27 and 28.

    All guests at the three resorts will have free admission to concerts by six famous jazz bands, both international and Chinese. They include the Jungle Cats, Liuyuan Jazz Band, Rhythm Dogs, JR Jazz Band, Koh Mr Saxman and Latin Project.

    The festival, blending tourism with jazz, is a perfect beginning for the golden holiday week, beginning May 1. The jazz festival is meant to give tourists a different and elegant holiday experience. Some proceeds will be donated to the Bright Connection Center for Brain-Damaged Children.

    The resorts hope the festival will attract international visitors to the Forever Tropical Paradise - Sanya.

    Many of the jazz artists, who combine classic and new styles, have been honored at important music galas and performed worldwide.

    Koh Mr Saxman, a jazz vocalist and saxophonist from Thailand, has made several albums and has performed with his band at international Jazz Festivals such as the Hua Hin Jazz Festival and the Penang Jazz Festival.

    JR Jazz Band has performed at the France Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, Asian Music Art Season and Denmark North Europe Music Festival.

    Latin Project from Cuba presents an alluring flavor of South America, mixing Cuban jazz and Latin jazz, with 10 percent purity, 30 percent melody and 60 percent passion.

    In the past decade, jazz in China has undergone big changes and is increasingly popular.     

    Liu Yuan is known as China's "Godfather of Jazz." His band, all well-known musicians in Beijing, will perform their famous soothing melodies.

    The Rhythm Dogs is regarded by many as the best blues band in China with extensive performing experience at many pubs and clubs in Beijing. Their diversified music includes blues, funk, soul, R&B, Latin, modern jazz, rock and classical pop.

    Jungle Cats shows that music, no matter where it starts, has no boundaries. The band was founded by Chinese drummer Mico Liu and American composer-vocalist Jessica Meider. The band has scratched out the boundaries of music and mixed together.

    "Nowadays the definition of composition is becoming broad enough to fuse styles and elements from other music genres," says Liu. "Jazz symbolizes a spirit of creativity, passion and tolerance."

    During the festival, Liu and his band will bring some chic electronic elements to the classic jazz songs such as "Night and Day" and "Summertime." The audience is invited to dance to the nostalgic music.

    From April 26 to 29, the resorts offer a special package for 3,600 yuan (467 U.S. dollars) for three nights, choosing either a garden-view room or lake-view room at Sanya Marriott Resort and Spa, Hilton Sanya Resort and Spa or Sheraton Sanya Resort. In-house guests of three resorts are entitled to free entrance to the jazz festival. (Service charge and daily breakfast for two persons are included.)

    (Source: Shanghai Daily)