British Invasion in Singapore
The ‘invasion’ of music occurred more than forty years ago. Not a lot of time in the history of the world, but creating history non the less. And so much so in such a short amount of time. The Beatles walked off their plane in Manhattan’s Kennedy airport, and they took not only New York and the United States by storm, but the rest of the world as well. Looking back it seems that music was kept secret and with British Invasion that secret was shouted from high atop those buildings in NY and from and to the hearts of everyone. None of this was lost on the tiny island of Singapore, a country crying out to this day for a voice that ends oppression. The voice of creativity. And while it is ironically funny that the first things to go in public programs, schools and the society programs in general, are the arts…it’s fitting. As what is worth more to fight for than the voice of the human heart? So bring it on governments of the world, give the artists fodder for inspiration, as nothing has stopped you in the past and nothing will stop the future the artists will create.
Using a cliche, the country of Singapore, a very oppressed culture, has ‘stepped up to the plate”. Singapore, or the residents concerned with this type of conundrum, built the Esplanade and continue to inspire and encourage and expose society to the value and the power of music. Ten years ago the Mosaic Music Festival, set amongst the downtown area and close to many options for stay at the best Singapore hotels, began and has since become one of the most attended and respected festivals in the world. For the members of the audience and for those on stage. Steeped in jazz, the festival offers up to the public the opportunity to witness and experience some performances by truly legendary masters of the craft…on stage by the way, with ‘up-starts’, those wanting and needing to carry on the work and to offer up their own interpretation. For who can sit and listen to Gil Evans or to Miles Davis or Jimmy Peggie or Nina Simone and not be moved. Music has traditionally been known to create harmony and to relieve the pain of life in societies for all of history. TheMosaic Festival runs every year for ten days, beginning March 11 th and offers up a variety of stages and international artists and music. This is an event that should not be missed should one happen to be in the neighborhood.
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