JAZ Singer / Songwriter - World Folk Fusion Grooves Born & grew up in the city of Geneva, Switzerland & the UK. 5yrs in Brooklyn, NY & over a year cumulated in Namibia, South West Africa. Jaz Rice is the son of an English mother & German/Polish father, he has Mongolian & Romanian gypsy blood. He has lived in Bristol, England; Cardiff, Wales; as well as a number of years in Brooklyn, New York. It is his passion and fascination for culture and human interaction which has brought him to many other places, including Jamaica, Thailand & Namibia, all of which have had a notable impact on the music he has written. This has greatly contributed to Jaz’s special blend of Pop and Folk. The desire to write arose progressively from his teens. Jaz first appeared on stage in his early teens, in some theatrical & musical productions, giving him a taste for the stage.It was during a trip to Thailand that Jaz's pen started creating prose in a macro-style and in recent years his writing has become more personal. Jaz's debut in music was as a solo singer as well as participating in the local choir. The result of the blending of all of the wonderful cultures (music, customs and social interaction) have been a continual osmosis which is the first & most important method by which Jaz has grown and is continuing to evolve. Human experiences constitute the core of Jaz's message. This is heard & felt in his lyrics. Much more is to come from the heart & soul of this a-typical songwriter. public performances 2007 October 26, @ Calle Luna, Geneva October 18, @ l'Ethno, Geneva September 20, @ L’Adresse, Geneva September 7, @ Swiss World Music Festival, opening act for Incognito September 5, Live Show on Radio Paradiso, Swiss Radio Station, La Première August 2, @ Geneva Summer Fes' (Fêtes de Genève) July 23, @ the Geneva Summer Fes' (Pre-fêtes de Genève) July 7, @ Le bateau Genève, Fever on the Water, Geneva April 25, Featured artist on Radio Couleur3’s Les Métissages. February 15, Live with Ras Sheehama on Radio Paradiso, Swiss National Radio Station, February 6, Live on The English Show, RadioX, Basel February 2, American Womens Club, Geneva 2006 December :: 1st & 2nd. Le Box, Carouge, Switzerland November :: 23rd. l'Ethno, Geneva, Switzerland 6th. Live on 'Radio Paradiso', RSR (Switzerland's #1 Public Radio Station) 3rd. Le Box, Carouge, Switzerland. Jaz & Friends September :: 30th. Live performance @ Label Suisse, Radio Suisse Romande's Annual Festival August :: 19th. Live Show with Ras Sheehama @ Trnkobrani Open Air Festival, Zlin, Czech Republic June/July :: Live performances in Los Angeles, CA. / 20.06 @ Crane's, 24.06 @ the M Bar 27.06 & 11.07 @ the Airliner May :: Live performance with Ras Sheehama @ 1st Namibian Music Awards :: Live performance, Jaz & quartet @ St. James Pub, Sion, Switzerland March :: l’Ethno, Geneva, CH :: Coolheure Café, Geneva, CH 2005 November 26th, performs with Ras Sheehama at the Gulbenkian Theatre in Canterberry, UK November 17th, live show at Coolheure Café, Geneva September 9th, invited to perform a couple of songs at the 1st Swiss World Festival in Geneva August 2hr interview recording for Couleur3, Switzelrand's 3rd National Public Radio station. August 3rd, performs at one of the main venues at the Fêtes de Genève, (Geneva summer fes.) July 5th & 6th, performs with a handful of Namibians at the 39th Montreux Jazz Festival Under the Sky July 3rd, show at the KBAR, Geneva Mai-June, various shows in Windhoek: The Warehouse, The Bluenote, Chez N'Temba & The Tower of Music. "Namibia" begins to get air play on local radio stations. some exposure through various radio interviews, incl. NBC, Katutura, Radio Energy & Radio 99 March 22nd, invited to perform his song 'Namibia' at Namibia's 15 years Independance celebrations at the UN PLAZA in Windhoek 2004 Chat Noir Jazz Club, Geneva – performs 5 X - from August to December 2003 August, invited again by Diana Miranda to perform at the Geneva Summer Festival. sings ‘Sambra em Preludio’ with her, a classic brazilian song, to which JAZ adapts and writes english verses. Their duo features on Diana’s new album, released October 2005. July, invited to perform on the Africa Boat (part of the official Montreux Jazz Festival) with Youssouph Cissoko from Sénégal. 2002 August invited to open Diana Miranda's concert at the Fêtes de Genève. He sings Namibia and Love grows. 2000 17th & 18th July Montreux Jazz Café Jam sessions