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GROOVE-LOVERS won't just be listening to world-class acts at this year's annual Mosaic Music Festival - they can get up close and personal with the musicians in master-class sessions as well.
The Esplanade's Mosaic fest has gained fame over the four years of its existence for showcasing Singapore and international performers in a range of music genres from jazz to world music.
But the 10-day extravaganza which starts next Friday introduces a whole new level of festival fun, with a more eclectic line-up and more interactive involvement via an increased number of workshops in which artists share their knowledge with fans and local musicians.
For example, you don't just get to watch musicians like New York-based blind soul jazz singer Raul Midon play, you can also pick up his techniques at musical workshops.
Midon, along with eight-time Grammy award nominee, jazz vocalist Kurt Elling, and Latin jazz instrumentalist Eddie Palmieri, will conduct special classes and share their skills.
At $15 per session, there are four workshops which will be held at the venue's Recital Studio, and which are likely to be popular with festival-goers, who had only two workshops to choose from last year.
Elling is the festival's artist-in-residence - a first for the organisers.
Besides his concert, music workshop and vocal masterclass, the artiste will have his poems on display at the venue. He's also set to do an exclusive performance with jazz guitarist Lee Ritenour - a first collaboration for both.
Having an artist-in-residence underlines Mosaic's creative side. In such a programme, the artist has more interactive sessions and has a variety of their works - in the case of Elling, his poetry and his music - displayed prominently, conditions that are ripe for getting the creative juices flowing.
Indeed, festival producer Amy Ho says: 'With this artist-in-residence programme, we hope to share his experience and knowledge with our local musicians... it will be very valuable for them.'
If you're into juicy gossip and revelatory confessions, celebrity-drilling host Najip Ali promises to dish out the tough questions in free public talkshow sessions at the Esplanade's concourse with acts like funky freak George Clinton and Al McKay from The Earth Wind & Fire Experience.
Local musicians Jack and Rai are helming similar, albeit smaller and more cozy, chat sessions with selected artistes that fest-goers can attend at the Singapore Art Cafe within the Esplanade.
As for this year's line-up, Ho and her team scoured the globe to assemble a heady mix of acclaimed acts ranging from the jazz punk of Japan's Soil & Pimp Sessions and the Afro-Cuban stylings of Omar Sosa Afreecanos Quartet to Icelandic electronic group Mum and Canadian indie supergroup Broken Social Scene.
Then there are the headliners: jazz crooner Harry Connick Jr., Elling and funk music progenitor Clinton.
Ho says: 'The festival has evolved through the years, starting with a focus on jazz and world music to having a more eclectic line-up today that caters to everyone. It has also created an infectious buzz in the local and regional music scene.'
She adds: 'We've learnt that audiences may be more adventurous than we think, so we're continuing to present an eclectic mix this year to meet their needs and to expose audiences to artists and genres which may not be as popular.'
Underrated acts on show
MOSAIC'S line-ups have hardly been commercial attractions, with such wide-ranging esoteric fare as alternative rock band Tortoise in 2005, Scottish singer Eddi Reader in 2006 and Norwegian experimental outfit Jaga Jazzist last year.
But Singaporeans and the foreigners who have flocked to the festival have lapped them up.
The inaugural event in 2005 drew 65,000 people. Attendance rose to 80,000 in 2006 and last year, a record 90,000 attended, and there were rave reviews from both critics and fans.
Event promoter, musician and Mosaic fan Safuan Johari says: 'The programmes have been excellent as the organisers tend to bring great international acts which are often underrated.
'Without Mosaic, I don't think I would have the chance to catch acts such as Tortoise, Jaga Jazzist and Yo La Tengo.'
The free programmes also feature a wide spectrum of local talents from hip-hop to free jazz, and the 26-year-old notes: 'It's not often you find such things here under one fest concept.'
With a total of 106 artistes, a slight increase from last year's 100, the organisers are gunning for a more 'intense' experience for concert-goers.
Organiser Ho says: 'We've realised that stretching the fest over more days does not work as well as creating a more intense experience within the same number of days.
'This is why we have increased the intensity of shows this year, with more than one Concert Hall performance per evening on certain days.'
The Esplanade's Concert Hall, which holds up to 1,800, and Theatre, which seats 2,000, will host the bigger crowd-pullers.
Admission prices for ticketed acts this year range from $248 (for Harry Connick Jr.'s premium seats) to $38 but as always, there are numerous gigs that fans can catch for free.
These range from local indie rockers The Great Spy Experiment at the Concourse to American singer-songwriter Trey Lockerbie and Korean rockers Crying Nut at the outdoor stage located by the waterfront of Marina Bay.
According to the Esplanade, these free programmes are important as they reach out to different segments of the community who visit the centre. They also add to the lively ambience and create an exciting buzz around the venue.
With more shows, and in all likelihood, bigger attendance, Esplanade insists that the whole point of Mosaic is not the numbers or the dollar count.
They declined to reveal the cost of staging the event but Ho says: 'Our main aim in presenting the festival is not to make money. Our focus is to enhance audiences' experience through good music.
'Factors like the quality and range of performances, the ability of the audience to appreciate the performances through the years as well as the benefit that artists get out of collaborations and networking, are important areas to look at beyond cost.'
A sure sign of Mosaic's growing reach are the hardcore foreign fans.
Australian couple Richard and Katalin Savage fell in love with the first Mosaic in 2005 and have been flying over for the fest every year since.
'We have really enjoyed being part of the evolution of the fest. We have been regular visitors to Singapore since 1987 and it's different during the Mosaic Festival,' says Mr Savage, a solicitor in his mid-50s.
'You have an excellent venue and the sincerity and the friendliness shown by Singaporeans give the fest a unique flavour.'
And yes, you guessed it, the couple will be here again for this year's event.
