April in Kaohsiung is a time, which sees the transition of spring to summer. It is when the grass is green and the fragrance of flowers fills the air.  The Construction and Planning Agency under the Ministry of the Interior has chosen this season, which is bursting with life, to plan two artistic feasts, bringing together the beauty of the landscape at the Kaohsiung Metropolitan Park and the romantic jazz music. Invited to perform are the famous Lin Chia-ching Jazz Orchestra and the Ku Pa Percussion Jazz Group. They will give two performances at the Kaohsiung Metropolitan Park’s Golden Chicken Plaza on April 29 from 2:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. The Construction and Planning Agency cordially invites everyone to go to the park that Sunday afternoon to experience a rare dialogue between jazz music and nature.            

The first concert will feature the Lin Chia-ching Jazz Orchestra. Lin used to be the leader and conductor of the China Television Company (CTV) Band. He was even honored in 2006 with the Golden Melody Award for his special contribution. The second concert will be devoted to a performance by the Ku Pa Percussion Jazz Group founded by Hsieh Tang-hui. The group received a “special prize for making contribution to Taiwan’s pop music.”
There will also be a charity sale of baked products from “Children Are Us Bakery,” turning to  “jazz music, child welfare, and human concern” to  compose a symphony of  “nature, romance, and human concern.” On that day, the Export Processing Zone Administrative Office will provide hot coffee, tea and other drinks. Meanwhile the Construction and Planning Agency in the spirit of environmental protection calls upon everyone to bring their own cups. The idea behind is to conserve energy and reduce the damage to the natural environment. At the venue, briefings on the national park will be provided to enable the general public to understand better the cherished natural and human resources of the national park. In addition, the Chuan Yi International Sound and Light Artistic Company Limited will offer 10 environmentally-friendly bicycles as prizes in an on-the-spot raffle draw.

This will not be the first time for jazz music to be presented in concert at the Metropolitan Park in Kaohsiung. The two music performances will cover the blues, Latin jazz, free jazz, and modern pop music. The selections in the performances will include classic, modern, local and foreign titles. Original compositions by the performing bands, numbers to show diversity, and pieces ranging from the elegant to the simply popular will all be there to suit the listening pleasure of all. As for the performance of these musicians, they should be able to touch the hearts of the concert-goers, and echo the vigor and vitality of southern Taiwan.       
If it rains on that day, the concerts will be postponed. The organizer will announce any change two days before the scheduled performances. Simply check the website of the Construction and Planning agency, and the Kaohsiung Metropolitan Park Administrative Office  http://w3.cpami.gov.tw/khmp/kmp-home.htm. Or call the hotline: 07-365-6103 to make inquiry.