Esplanade Presents: Mosaic Music Festival Singapore 2007.

If you think that Malaysia is still ages away from offering fervent music aficionados a good reason why locals should travel internally, you are just about right. I've just received word that 'Esplanade Presents: Mosaic Music Festival Singapore 2007' will be presenting more than mere mortals to play amongst thousands of lucky Singaporeans and ex-expatriates from 9-18 March 2007.

While the event was initially billed as an Asian music festival of mammoth proportions, no one really bothered to be suckered into the hype UNTIL the full performers' list came out.

Pristine indie act and Matador Record darlings, Yo La Tengo from New Jersey, USA will be making their South East Asian debut, months after releasing their latest outing 'I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass'. Experimental to the core, Yo La Tengo alone would have fit the criteria as the headliner of this year's festival. But from the looks of it, Mosaic will be exceeding all expectations this year when they bring in some last minute additions such as Jose Gonzalez (Sweden) who has performed recently with the likes of downtempo electronica band, Zero 7. Futon (Thailand) an electro-punk band who has garnered much-praise from the music community of late. Rachael Yamagata (US) who has famously worked with a string of music artists including Ryan Adams, Mandy Moore, Jason Mraz and Ray Lamontagne. Yamagata's recent highlight to fame would be to feature in the original soundtrack to 'The Last Kiss'. Furthermore, of all the surprise they could cough up - enter The Album Leaf (US) into the fray. The Album Leaf, fronted by post-rock band Tristeza's front man, Jimmy LaValle. The Album Leaf, recognised as one of his side projects, circles around different music ideologies and genres covered in its tenth year existence with four excellent albums and two commendable EPs. Pretty good for a side project, no? Nerina Pallot (UK) also makes a welcome appearance in the festival after much indie success having moved away from the major label she was contracted with.

The performers' roster is crazy! Other acts performing, mostly from the jazz category, include: the Duke Ellington Orchestra (fronted by his grandson, Paul Ellington), Tower of Power, Chick Corea & Gary Burton, the evergreen Buddy Guy, Take 6, Jaga Jazzist, Kuh Ledesma & Regine Velasquez from the Phillipines, Femi Kuti & The Positive Force from Nigeria, Rickie Lee Jones, Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, Terry Callier, Carleen Anderson, Putumayo Party! with Brooklyn Funk Essentials, the Tim O'Dwyer Trio, Jazz123, the poetically-adept Ursula Rucker, Double Bill (with Tetsu Saitoh, Omar Puente and Robert Mitchell), Youn Sun Nah 5, Tristan Prettyman and last but not least, One Self.

If you haven't purchased your tickets yet...here's what you're going to be missing!

Download:
- The Album Leaf - In Between Lines (from the album 'One Day I'll Be on Time')
- The Album Leaf - Malmo (from the album 'Seal Beach EP)
- Rachael Yamagata - Reason Why (from the album 'Happenstance')
- Yo La Tengo - Autumn Sweater (with Kevin Shields) (from the album 'Prisoners of Love')
- Jose Gonzalez - Heartbeats (from the album 'Veneer')
- Zero 7 (feat. Jose Gonzalez) - Crosses (from the album 'The Garden')
- Nerina Pallot - Damascus (from the album 'Fires')
- 4hero feat. Ursula Rucker - The Awakening (from the album 'Play With The Changes')
- Tristan Prettyman - Love Love Love (from the album 'Twentythree')

Now, why won't the local authorities here allow for more class acts like these to show up is beyond my comprehension!