Every June for the past six years, Hua Hin Jazz Festival has conjured up the modern-day imagery of the scenes depicted by Jack Kerouac in his groundbreaking novel of the century “On the Road”….The escape from the concrete jungle. The gathering of jazz talents from different cultural backgrounds. Cool breeze. Cold drinks. Hot grills.
HUA HIN JAZZ FESTIVAL 2007
Back in the forties when jazz and the beach were playing love birds, the Californian seaside was turned into a borderless stage where young and carefree musicians serenade revelers with the bebop night after night. Through the receding rhythm of the yesteryear, the sweet nostalgia travels to the other side of the world to find its revival here in Hua Hin.
Every June for the past six years, Hua Hin Jazz Festival has conjured up the modern-day imagery of the scenes depicted by Jack Kerouac in his groundbreaking novel of the century “On the Road”….The escape from the concrete jungle. The gathering of jazz talents from different cultural backgrounds. Cool breeze. Cold drinks. Hot grills.
Hua Hin Jazz Festival usually lasts for three days and takes two stages. But for the 2007 outing, the scale becomes much smaller, with two stages becoming one and the performances taking place over two nights. The venue, however, remains the same—the beachfront between the Sofitel Central Hua Hin Resort and the Hilton Hua Hin Resort& Spa. The spot, which is perceived by many as the best beachfront in Hua Hin, boasts its pearl white sand and is so wide it never gets flooded despite the high tide.
The unprecedented atmosphere
This year’s lighter program in itself presents some beauties that Hua Hin Jazz Festival never experiences in the past years. Attendees get to enjoy each performance to the fullest, with no interference from other sound sources or mass exodus to catch the next show at the other stage.
Through the absence of one stage, everybody easily finds themselves a patch of dry sand to camp on all through the evening. Teenagers stick around their own mats, chilling with cold drinks in their hands while bobbing their heads to the roaring piano. Individual beach chairs are mostly taken by women and men who temporarily flee their work and duties back home in Bangkok to the jazzy getaway. As the stress is left behind, some let themselves fall asleep to the relaxing tunes.
Medalists meet diva
Every year vacationers and weekenders are entertained by acts from local talents and artists from Europe and America. This year’s lineup includes Quintet-X, who won first prize in the Thailand Jazz Competition, winners of the Junior section at the second Thailand Jazz Competition—Jazz Pak Nam Po, and veteran jazz guitarist Prode Tanapat.
The highlight of Hua Hin Jazz Festival 2007 is carried by the performance of multi-awarded Danish vocalist Caroline Henderson. The Scandinavian diva was born to the family of black American jazz musician Rudy Henderson. With the soulful, sultry voice she was blessed with, Henderson gracefully wraps up the Hua Hin Jazz Festival 2007 with a dash of the true jazz spirit.
Feel at home
This year the seating areas are magnificently animated with leafy-green beach chairs, dark brown large fluffy balls, white swings hung from the trees and even stylish leather couches. Only 100 people are admitted to the exclusive Heineken Sea Bar. The porch, which leans out by about 10 meters from the shore, allows the privileged ones to sip their chilled drinks amid the true sense of the sea.
From the first arrangement of Hua Hin Jazz Festival to 2006, the crowd got bigger each year. Last year the festival saw around 65,000 in attendance—more than 20,000 people a day. The poppy-feel jazz here makes it easy for everyone to enjoy and relax themselves to. Churned with Hua Hin’s signature fresh air and a wide array of international-themed food, Hua Hin Jazz Festival never fails to bring the moments filled with joy to families, lovers, and friends.
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