In the mood for jazz despite flu scare

MIRI - It's May and it's that time of the year when jazz lovers from Brunei, Singapore and Indonesia join their Malaysian brethren at Brighton beach.

They've come to party and soak in the music in the two-day Miri International Jazz Festival, which started on Friday.

Nearly 3,000 people packed the Park City Everly Hotel beach front despite the stifling heat.

"We sold 3,500 tickets for Friday but there was a sizable no-show. Just over 2,800 turned up," Sarawak Tourism Board chief executive officer Gracie Geikie said yesterday.

With the economic downturn and the influenza A (H1N1) scare, it was anticipated that many would stay away. However, Geikie was elated yesterday as their target of 6,000 -- to match last year's sales -- was achieved.

That set her in the mood as she joined the crowd and partied to the jazz riffs emanating from the venue.

Eight groups from Britain, Japan, Australia, France, South Africa, Canada, Singapore and Malaysia, were invited to this year's fest.

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