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JAMFEST2005 FINALE!
November 14, 2005

Press Release by backyardpub.com

Monday, Nov 14 -- Get ready to rock at the finale of Jamfest2005 on Nov 17th!

We've roped in 15 musicians for a five-hour music extravaganza you won't forget.

The five acts performing that night are singer-guitarist Gerard Anthony, progressive rock band Tempered Mental, fusion band Cosmic Funk Express, percussion duo Kenny Hogan and Faiser Florez and rockers Viji, Fasy and Friends.

The performances will round off our five-week Jamfest2005 which featured over 50 musicians.

Thanks for coming out and supporting the acts throughout the fest, some of whom graced the stage at Backyard Pub for the first time.

Music kicks off at 8pm, Thursday at Backyard Pub, 28, Jalan Sri Hartamas 8, Kuala Lumpur. No reservations, no tickets, no cover charge and no freeloaders.

PROFILES:

KENNY HOGAN AND FAISER FLOREZ are a percussion duo.

South American percussionist Faiser Florez hails from Cartagena, Colombia and has performed and toured all over Central America with both regional and international bands. He has a considerable amount of studio work to his name.

Among the artistes he has either recorded or toured with are well-known performers such as jazz flautist and Grammy Award winner Nestor Torres, Cuban violinist Alfredo de la Fe, and salsa singer Rey Ruiz.

Most recently he has been traveling the Southeast Asian region performing and recording with popular Indonesian artistes Indra Lesmana, Glenn Fredly, Bella Saphira, Sello and Rio Febrian.

Kenny Hogan is a leading drumming clinician, music educator and performing artist. The Singaporean-born Eurasian, in his late 30s began drumming when he was 16. He has since performed with many local and regional bands, most notably with his own band called KonFuzion, which was founded in early 2003, and recently renamed the Kenny Hogan Band.

Hogan has been experimenting with ethnic fusion music in recent years and will present a special percussive set with Florez.

COSMIC FUNK EXPRESS plays a fusion of funk, rock and jazz and comprises Zack Kim on lead guitar, Alda Tan on bass and Alex Ang on drums.

The band came together in mid-2004, as the brainchild of Zack and Alda. They later roped in Alex as a permanent sessionist, replacing Elliot Koon.

Korean-born Zack Kim, has been living in Malaysia for the past 14 years and is a self-taught guitarist known for his quick-finger acrobatics and quirky personality. Zack was named the best guitarist at HELP Institute's Battle of the Bands in which Cosmic Funk Express emerged champions.

Zack also been a sessionist with well-known local bands like Tempered Mental, One Buck Short, Groovetank and VE and worked alongside some of Malaysia's top producers like Greg Henderson and Nick Lee.

KL-based Alda Tan is a bass player very much in demand and played with numerous other bands. He has been featured on Shelley Leong's AIM Nominated debut album Story Teller, and also in her back-up band Jazz Odssey. He also played on Dragon Red's debut album Holocaust.

His live credentials includes Mont Kiara's Jazz Fest 2005 with Jazz Odssey, Rock The World 5 with Dragon Red, People at the Peak magazine Launch (backing Sufiah from Malaysian Idol 1), Northern Exposure at the Esplanade Singapore, Penang Island Jazz Fest 2004, ESPN X-games 2003 and many various events, gigs and dinners.

Alda is known for his eccentric stage presence which keeps most audiences entertained.

Cosmic Funk Express' most notable gigs and events were the Music Canteen and NST truck tour's Kuantan Leg, Mont Kiara's Jazz Fest 2004 and 2005, The Sun Music Festival, Art for All Carnival, World Peace Concert Berjaya Times Square, Kampong Fest, Fete De La Musique 2005and HELP's Battle Of The Bands.

Their first single Pieces was put on high rotation on X Fresh FM and had the honour of being one of the first instrumental bands to break into a mainstream radio rotation. The band is currently working on their still untitled debut album, which is set to be out by next year.

TEMPERED MENTAL comprises singer/bassist Melina, drummer Jimmy and Zack, a session guitarist.

Formed in February 2002, the band's music is described as "radio-friendly progressive rock with dark overtones".

Its unique sound is a combination of precise, rhytmic drumming, hard-edged guitar licks, and fluid liquid basslines, completed by Melina's melodic vocals.

The band's debut single, Honestly launched on April 15, 2004 at The Jazz Bar, Orange perfectly encapsulates their sound propelled by inventive guitar work, an intricate bass line and a smooth vocal delivery.

The band has four other original numbers namely, Your Ingenue, Pure, All Bad Things and Mistrial making their rounds among fans.

Tempered Mental counts among its influences The Smashing Pumpkins, Tool, The Roots, A Perfect Circle, Creed and Stone Temple Pilots, to name a few.

VIJI, FASY AND FRIENDS comprises Viji, the veteran journeyman of the local pub scene, Fasy, the Maldivian genius on the guitar and various friends that play regularly at Backyard including Edmund Anthony and Justin Wah.

Viji has performed solo for 15 years, collaborated with various others -- most successfully with Alex Peters for the inimitable Flower Power!! -- and also once owned a pub called Concept in Damansara.

With new partner Fasy on the electric guitar, Viji has re-emerged with a powerful blend of his growly voice, scintillating solos and a repertoire that harks back to the guitar-driven days of 70s.

Fasy has garnered a popular following of late as a soloist and with his band Playin December. He hails from a musical family from the Maldives and first came to Malaysia in 1996 as a student. He has two self-recorded albums on the market called Cruising and Fasy: A Compilation, which are available at the Backyard counter.

GERARD ANTHONY plays the electronic Yamaha EZ-AG2004 guitar with no strings on the fret, just sensor pick-ups.

But that doesn't prevent him from coaxing some melodious tunes from this synthesized, futuristic instrument.

Gerard has been playing professionally for seven years and started playing solo for about a two years.

He counts among his early influences his brothers, the late Jairus Anthony, and Backyard musical director, Edmund Anthony, singer Vijay David and keyboardist and vocalist Vishnu of SWV.

Gerard has a strong appreciation of country acts such as James Taylor, Michael Martin Murphy, Edwin McCain, and Lonestar and music that is "easy on the ears".

Cheers,
Jerry Chong,
Backyard Pub & Grill

LINKS: Kenny Hogan | Cosmic Funk Express | Tempered Mental | Viji and Fasy | Gerard Anthony
JAMFEST2005 PHOTOS: OCT 20 | OCT 27 | NOV 03 | NOV 10 |

ABOUT BACKYARD PUB & GRILL
Backyard Pub & Grill is your friendly, unpretentious, neighbourhood pub for live music and live sports events located at No.28, Jalan Sri Hartamas 8, Taman Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur.

There is live music every night from Wednesdays to Saturdays, two English pool tables, a big screen and four TVs for live English Premier League matches. The kitchen serves up great Western and local dishes and also caters to special functions.

View the latest goings-on at backyardpub.com or call 03-6201-0318.

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