This year's highly-anticipated Kota Kinabalu Jazz Festival (KKJF) will kick off on July 21 at the Pacific Sutera Covered Tennis Court.

The two-night jazz extravaganza, featuring both local and international talents, has been a huge hit in Sabah, attracting a crowd of over 4,000 people last year.

During its media launch on 8 July, organising chairman of KKJF 2017, Jack Ong, said the jazz festival has attracted both tourists and locals since it was introduced in 2007.

"This is what makes the event unique. We work closely with the communities here to find talents in the local music scene," he said.

This year's line-up of performers will feature many homegrown talents, including Sabahan singer-songwriter Rozella Marie Mahjhrin, who won last year's Tiger Jams competition; and Malaysia Jazz Piano Festival 2017 winner Alton Wong.

Three international bands will also grace the stage with their soulful music: Taiwanese group Good Messenger, Spanish flamenco ensemble Origen and Singaporean/American group Shun Ng and The Shunettes.

All in all, twelve unique performers are lined up for the one-of-a-kind event.

Initiated by the Rotary Club Kota Kinabalu (RCKK) and the Society of Performing Arts Kota Kinabalu (SPArKS), the festival is a fund-raising event for underprivileged communities in Sabah.

In the past, money raised from ticket sales has funded several RCKK projects, including the construction of medical camps, the building of boarding homes for rural children, and the running of literacy programmes. This year, KK Rotary Club President M. Ravi is focusing on cataract avoidance blindness campaign.

Tickets will be on sale at various outlets in Kota Kinabalu: The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Party Play Lifestyle Cafe, Aleyxis Cafe, and Borenos Fried Chicken.

KKJF 2017's official property sponsor, PACIFICITY, will also offer 100 free tickets. More information can be obtained at their Facebook page: Facebook.com/KKPACIFICITY

"PACIFICITY is proud to sponsor the 11th KK Jazz Festival 2017 and to be part of this exciting event.

At PACIFICITY, we believe in developing local talents and we are committed to continuously support the Government's initiatives in cultivating arts and culture here in Sabah," said PACIFICITY Managing Director Jonathan Wheeler.