Singapore's music fest from March 12 to 21 has the cutest little Babyface - and Dinosaur Jr too
Headlining the event are Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Babyface, renowned downtempo duo the Kings of Convenience, disco's venerable Kool & the Gang and American alt-rockers Dinosaur Jr.
The acoustically superb Esplanade will have shows scattered around its various venues, from the big Concert Hall to the cosier Theatre, Heineken Music Club and Mosaic Studio, and outdoors too on the Concourse and in the Yard.
Bound to pack the Concert Hall is 10-time Grammy honouree Babyface, a one-man hit machine with 11 albums to his credit, on top of songs penned for Michael Jackson, Mary J Blige, TLC, Beyonce, Mariah Carey, Madonna, Eric Clapton, Boyz II Men, Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston.
Making a rare visit to Asia, Babyface will open the festival with a 90-minute show next Friday, March 12.
Also set to sweep fans off their feet with their sweet voices and romantic rhythms are Pink Martini, the American outfit whose repertoire includes samba, swing and the soundtrack to Japanese film noir.
If nothing else, the audience will be dazzled by Pink Martini's arsenal of instruments. They're packing, among other things, a grand piano, guitars, double bass, violin, cello, trumpet, trombone, saxophone, harp, cymbals, timbales, bells, bongos and weird items like the surdo, cajon, caixixi and glockenspiel.
Norway's Kings of Convenience have just released the long-awaited album "Declaration of Dependence" ahead of their Asian tour.
Tickets are selling fast for their warm acoustic folk pop on March 17 and 18, but keep in mind that the duo is also set to perform in Bangkok on March 23, at Butter Butter on Ratchadapisek Road.
Another act that's Bangkok bound but doubling up in Singapore is Kool & the Gang on March 20. They're keen to get folks jiving again with "Jungle Boogie", "Higher Plane", "Ladies Night", "Celebration", "Get Down on It" and "Cherish".
An influence on younger rockers like Nirvana and Pixies, alternative-rock pioneers Dinosaur Jr will rip up the Theatre on March 16 with monumental levels of pure guitar and nasal drones.
They're currently hot with the unshackling of a new album, "Farm", but the show will mix both old and new tunes.
At the Heineken Music Club, British independent electronica's the Go! Team will arrange its customary collision between Sonic Youth and the Jackson Five. The mixed-gender, mixed-nationality six-piece outfit has a sound that's at once nostalgic, youthful, exuberant and danceable.
Joining the festival from Thailand are the soulful, brassy Blue on Blue, playing three times at the Concourse on March 12 between 6 and 9pm; pop rockers Apartment Khunpa, taking part in the Club MIA act on March 20, alongside Indonesian Ras Muhamad and Taiwanese Kou Chou Ching; and DJ troupes Kitsch Cat Project and Stargazer.
THE HEADLINERS
The entire festival programme is online at www.MosaicMusic|Festival.com, but here are some juicy recommendations:
March 12 - Babyface, Breakestra, Blue on Blue
March 13 - The Branford Marsalis Quartet
March 14 - Living Tango with Café de los Maestros, Au Revoir Simone
March 15 - Randy Brecker and Bill Evans, Jackson Twinz
March 16 - Dinosaur Jr, the Go! Team
March 17 - Pink Martini, Fatskunk
March 18 - Kings of Convenience, Lionel Loueke Trio
March 19 - Karsh Kale & MIDIval Punditz, Stargazer DJ set
March 20 - Kool & the Gang, Club MIA, Django 100 Gypsy Swing
March 21 - Chucho Valdes Quintet, Duncan McKee Trio, Kora
