Brand Ambassador Sonam Kapoor walks the ramp at the IIJW 2013 inaugural

Brand Ambassador Sonam Kapoor walks the ramp at the IIJW 2013 inaugural, After three phenomenaleditions in Mumbai and the successful New Delhi edition, GJEPC once again proudly presents The India International Jewellery Week 2013, The inauguration was held on Sunday, 4th August and graced by the honorable Chief Guest, Mr. Rajeev Shukla, Member of Parliament, Mr. Vipul Shah, Chairman, GJEPC, Mr. Pankaj Parekh, Vice Chairman, GJEPC, senior members of GJEPC, high ranking government officials as well as GJEPC Brand Ambassador and Bollywood Diva, Sonam Kapoor.The IIJW is being presented by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) this year in association with PC Jeweller

(PCJ). The inaugural show this year featured a scintillating line up of jewellery collection by Gitanjali Gems adorned by not only the impressive model lineup, but also by the bevy of television celebrities. The crowning glory of the inaugural show was the mesmerizing Bollywood Diva, Sonakshi Sinha, who looked ravishing in breathtaking jewellery from Gitanjali along with Akshay Kumar. The grand finale on 8th of August will feature the “Best of Best” show that highlights the best creations by each designer. IIJW is an initiative to showcase India's finest in jewellery, be it designs, innovation, craftsmanship, technology or quality to the customers from around the globe. India, the world diamond leader, is today burgeoning with energy and passion when it comes to jewellery. As the fastest growing manufacturing centre, the world is eyeing "INDIA" and the industry is fast progressing to be the world's "Jewellery Hub". IIJW 2013will be one glamorous destination with a lot of international buyers & media attending. Furthermore with the scintillating glitterati comprising celeb showstoppers and red carpet attendance, IIJW is ready to set the mercury sizzling with their presence bringing the event on an international edge. The event will not only showcase established design houses and designers, but will also give an opportunity to new talented designers to showcase their skill set.IIJW 2013 will feature 24 budding designers from GIA, IGI, NID and IIGJ, marking the popularity that the show has been receiving from the young designers keen to make a mark in the industry. The show will also feature 21 renowned jewellery houses of international repute besides leading designers including Nirav Modi, Pallavi Foley, Vijay Golecha, amongst others. These renowned names are known to have adorned many of the Bollywood celebrities and prominent socialites. The gorgeous Bollywood heartthrob, Sonam Kapoor looked splendid at the inauguration in her designer attire and bedecked by a dazzling neck piece by the celebrated designer Nirav Modi. “We are proud to announce the 4th edition of India’s most sought after jewellery show which has been an ideal platform for not only the established jewelers and designers, but also encouraged next gen designers to showcase their immense talent, craftsmanship and innovation in the field of jewellery design”, said Mr. Vipul Shah, Chairman, GJEPC. Sonam Kapoor, Brand Ambassador, GJEPC said, “I am very proud to be a part of IIJW
which has created a benchmark for itself in the field of fashion and style since it first started. Each year the show has evolved and has been introducing exceptional jewellerycreations by not only young upcoming designers but has also been consistently showcasing the exquisite design and collections by Indian leading jewellery manufacturers and designers.” This year, the participantswill showcase the finest in design, innovation and present the latest trends and styles. Each of the 4 days will feature a series of 7-8 shows including Gehna Jewels, Birdhichand Ghanshyamdas, Kays Jewels, Golecha’s Jewels, Charu Jewels, Kashi Jewellers, D.Navinchandra, SethInternational, Laxmi Jewellery Exports, Shringar - House of Mangalsutra, Shobha Shringar Jewellers, Auro Gold, Jewel Trendz, Saboo Fine Jewels, established designers including Nirav Modi, Pallavi Foley, Moni Agarwal and Dipti Amisha, and over 22 budding designers from GIA, IGI, NID and IIGJ as well as Dhora by Aavriti Jain and Sidharth Daspan. “The show has received much appreciation and enormous goodwill from the participants, sponsors as well as the audience over the years, which is a reflection of the fact that many have been a part of the show since inception. We are happy to have created a platform that has successfully brought to the forefront, the exquisiteness and beauty of the Indian jewellery, thereby opening up wide opportunities for the participants and the industry”, said Sanjay Kothari, Convener, help, Marketing & Business Development Sub-committee, GJEPC. “IIJW is a unique platform in the gem and jewellery industry that showcases India’s talent at the highest level,” saidNirupa Bhatt, Managing Director, GIA India and the Middle East. “GIA’sobjective is to support this event and encourage innovation in jewellery arts. And IIJW is a platform that recognizes these innovations.” Mr. Balram Garg, Managing Director and CEO, PC Jeweller said, “IIJW has been an inspiring platform for all established as well as young designers to feature their best collections with respect to innovation, style and design. Over the years, IIJW has emerged as one of India’s premier events in the gem & jewellery industry promoting India as the leading design hub globally.” The IIJW is being presented by GIA in association with PC Jeweller (PCJ). The event is co-sponsored by Gitanjali Gems, and partners includePlatinum Guild India& Forevermark, besides UB Group as Good Times & Beverage Partners, Star Plus as broadcast partner and Bright Outdoor as Outdoor partner. Source: Page3

Read More........→August 15, 2013

Tokyo Jazz Festival grabs Ornette Coleman for headlining spot

New groove: Guitarist Gilad Hekselman will be the main attraction at the Tokyo Jazz Festival's "Taste of Israel" program at the Cotton Club.

By JAMES CATCHPOLE: Jazz fans in Tokyo are already a lucky bunch, but when the Tokyo Jazz Festival (TJF) announced Ornette Coleman as this year's headliner it became clear — we're downright spoiled. "We've been trying to get him to come play the festival for years," says Atsuko Yashima, TJF's executive producer. "At his age (82), coming all the way to Tokyo for a gig is not easy. We're thrilled we could feature him." Coleman will headline the festival's "Jazz Roots" program at Tokyo International Forum Hall A on Sept. 8. He'll join an already impressive bill that night, but stands out as a major coup for the festival's 11th edition. The Texas-born musician is now known as a visionary and innovator, but was originally accused of being a phony. His style of soloing, which lacks a harmonic background, can sound shrill to many who are new to his music. This has made him one of the most controversial figures on the jazz scene over the last 50 years, with critics and peers leveling charges that he couldn't really play his instrument. Even trumpeting giant Roy Eldridge was quoted as saying, "I've listened to him high and cold sober. I've even played with him. I think he's jiving, baby." As time passed, though, Coleman's technique and complex musical theory of harmolodics came to be regarded as genius rather than lunacy. His tone on the alto saxophone is a primal, blues-soaked wail that has become a part of the legacy of 20th-century jazz. Even on his most dissonant recordings, the artist's complete mastery of melody and deep feel for the blues comes through (the latter a product of his R&B background in Texas). With more than 50 years of live performances behind him, Coleman's shows are usually unpredictable. It's common for him to pull out songs from early in his career from albums such as "The Shape of Jazz to Come" (1959) and "Change of the Century" (1960). His gig at Orchard Hall in Tokyo in 2006 is still reminisced over by local jazz aficionados, and recent reviews of shows in London have been ecstatic, with British newspaper The Guardian calling his gig a "thrilling journey." Coleman will play with his double-bass quartet alongside his son, drummer Denardo Coleman, and since this may be his last time in Japan, it could be the can't-miss jazz gig of the year. The "Jazz Roots" program has the most enticing lineup for hard-core fans. Opening the Coleman-topped bill will be pianist Makoto Ozone, whose Jazz Journey show is set to feature noted musicians Ellis Marsalis, Christian McBride and Jeff "Tain" Watts. Ozone has been playing with the talented rhythm section of McBride and Watts for years now, and his Tokyo Jazz Festival appearance will give him the opportunity to share the stage with Marsalis, the patriarch of one of America's most notable music families. Ozone, McBride and Watts are set to extend their festival performance into a short Japan tour as a trio as well, hitting venues in Nagoya, Osaka and Iwate Jazz in the prefectural capital of Morioka, so it looks like jazz fans in Tokyo won't be hogging all the fun. With last year's so-called world acts proving to be a popular addition to the side stages, this year five countries are being profiled in addition to the bigger American acts at the main hall of the International Forum. The Cotton Club and the plaza outside the main venue will feature artists from The Netherlands, France, Norway, Australia and Israel. Guitarist Gilad Hekselman is Israeli, but relocated to New York in 2004. Hekselman should put on a particularly interesting show as he has been getting some very good press from his gigs in New York, which boasts the most competitive jazz scene in the world. Hekselman will be joined by frequent collaborator American Mark Turner on saxophone for this, his fourth visit to Japan. "I'm always happy to come back," Hekselman tells The Japan Times. "I love the audiences, the culture, the people and, of course, the food! For me as an artist, it means a lot to feel that our music touches people and that it's appreciated." This kind of international pairing is becoming more commonplace in jazz as musicians link up via the Internet, relocate and collaborate together. Some critics have voiced concern about a kind of blandness that could come from this leveling off of global scene, which they worry would reduce it to ethnically accented background music streamed in the hip cafes of New York or London. However, such globalized shows at the festival have previously only succeeded in reaffirming jazz's legacy as an open-minded music genre, and it's encouraging to see festival planners continue down this road. Something that has been happening at jazz festivals worldwide that has come under more criticism, however, has been the addition of bigger-name acts to lineups in an effort to draw in more punters. Die-hard fans (and some musicians) have been adamant in their opposition to this trend and want to keep jazz front and center, but financial realities look likely to make the "big-name draw" a continuing part of the show. Tokyo Jazz Festival does a fairly good job when it comes to picking more well-known artists. This year's "The Songs" program features gospel group Take 6, soul giant Ben E. King and songwriting master Burt Bacharach. The lineup likely targets an older music fan, although younger customers may be familiar with King's hit "Stand By Me." His set will also feature Yoichi Murata's big band, which should be interesting. King is of course best known for his soul music with The Drifters, but he has been performing with jazz bands for more than a decade now. Finally, "The Groove" program on Sept. 9 will likely appeal more to younger audiences, with the American-Israeli Balkan Beat Box joining local favorites Soil & Pimp Sessions for a set. U.S. horn gods Tower of Power follow; they play annually in Tokyo and it's always one of the hottest nights of the year. Funk-rock pioneers Rufus will close out the program with the Tower of Power horn section, and Tokyo artist Shikao Suga is scheduled to join in. That might not make up for former Rufus member Chaka Khan not being there, but the set should still be great. Finally, the main hall events conclude with the Sunday night "Put Our Hearts Together" program. Don't be put off by the smooth-jazz sounding title. The name comes from a project carried out by jazz pianist Bob James in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake. Grammy Award-winning bassist and vocalist Esperanza Spalding will take the stage first, followed by Japanese fusioner Casiopea3rd. The Bob James Quintet will close out the night and the set will feature plenty of special guests. One of the more notable names on the roster is Japanese pop star Seiko Matsuda. How she fits in with James and his group is a bit of a mystery at the moment, but as a pop draw she should be a surefire success. The Tokyo Jazz Festival takes place Sep 7-9 at Tokyo International Forum Hall A, Tokyo International Forum Plaza and the Cotton Club in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo (starting times and ticket prices vary). For more information, call (03) 5777-8600 or visit www.tokyo-jazz.com. Source:  The Japan Times Online

Read More........→September 19, 2012