MOSAIC Turns Me On, the third edition of the Mosaic Music Festival organised by the Esplanade comes bearing musical gifts from some 400 artists from 18 countries, in over 100 free and ticketed performances and workshops.

The festival, which began with an emphasis on jazz and expanded to include world music in 2006, has broadened its scope still further this year. Though jazz remains a strong core, the music is more diverse with the inclusion of genres like Afrofunk and ska, and a lineup that includes cool names such as Nigerian Afrobeat musician Femi Kuti.

Deciding that the best way to grow the festival was not to stretch it out but to create a more intense experience, the organisers have packed more into each day. Accordingly, new elements have been introduced, such as the talk show Relax One Corner with Najip Ali at the Esplanade Concourse, and a late-night music series at the Concert Hall named 11th Hour. JP Nathan, Esplanade's director of programming, explains that last year's sold-out Sheila Majid concert - which started at 10.30pm - was an eye-opener to the fact that there are audiences 'who enjoy the feel of late-night concerts, who want to break out of the 'consume an art experience between work and dinner' mould'.

Local artists play a greater role at the festival, with some being featured as the opening act for international artists - such as Michaela Theresa for Carleen Anderson. As one of Singapore's newest and youngest debutantes at Mosaic, 15-year-old Nathan Hartono, puts it, 'not only does the festival expand Singapore's music scene, it also gives hope to amateur Singaporean musicians - young and old - that there is a career in the local music scene.'

Last year, some 80,000 music lovers patronised Mosaic. Eddie Chan Fook Pong, retired architect and currently managing partner of Jazz@Southbridge says Mosaic is all about 'that opportunity to see our favourite artists performing live'. The festival seems set to become a key component of the local music landscape, offering opportunities for local artists to network with their world-class counterparts, and introducing Singaporean audiences to unusual musical sounds.

MOSAIC PICKS

Rickie Lee Jones
Soulful, profound, subversive, simple. These are some of the adjectives used to describe the music of Rickie Lee Jones, who features in Mosaic's 11th Hour series, where the music only starts at 11pm. 'Hers is the kind of music you would put on at home round about midnight. Audiophiles love the quality of her voice,' says Mr Nathan.

Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra
Though Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra are also programmed in the 11th Hour slot, they promise a very different late night experience - hip, lively, upbeat. Beginning life as a cult band with an out-there sense of fun, Tokyo Ska's 10 Japanese musicians have since gained a considerable following. 'They have uninhibited, energetic fun on stage in a way that only Japanese musicians are able to do,' says Mr Nathan.

Yo La Tengo
American indie band Yo La Tengo is said to have a huge cult following here. It's hard to pin a label on the band's unique sound that combines everything from melodic folk to edgy punk-rock - with lots of humour. It is a widely anticipated concert; following in the footsteps of Tortoise (2005) and Norwegian folk-pop duo Kings Of Convenience (2006), Yo La Tengo could well be The Mosaic hit concert this year.

Power of Two
Filipino singers Regine Velasquez and Kuh Ledesma are among the talented Asians in Mosaic this year. Velasquez tells BT via email that having heard 'Mosaic attracts some of the most talented artists around the world, agreeing to be a part of it was an easy decision.' 'We decided to sing mostly English songs that have helped define me through my career, most of which were originally done by my idols like Barbra Streisand and Whitney Houston. Since I made my mark as a singer who belts out ballads in some extremely high and difficult keys, I find that fans continue to ask me to sing those type of songs,' she says.

Chick Corea and Gary Burton duets
Undoubtedly, along with Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea is considered one of the definitive jazz pianists of our time. But, says Amy Ho, producer, Mosaic Music Festival, Corea's appearance in Mosaic is extra-special because it revisits a seminal duet album, Crystal Silence, made 35 years ago by Corea and vibraphonist Gary Burton. Both are Grammy-winners and masters of improvisation, so expect a night of surprises.

Terry Callier
Soul legend Terry Callier performs as part of the Heineken Music Club series, which begins late and simulates a club atmosphere with a bar, scattered tables and freedom to chat and move around. If there is one word to describe Callier and his voice, it is 'character', says Mr Nathan. 'What he sings is lived experience.'

Nathan Hartono
Nathan Hartono is programmed over two nights in the Bright Young Things series at the Esplanade Concourse. Though just 15, the jazz-pop singer has already released a debut album, Life, Love and All that Jazz.

The Duke Ellington Orchestra
This legendary 83-year-old big band orchestra founded by American composer-pianist Edward Duke Kennedy Ellington (1899-1974) will be conducted by his grandson, 28-year-old Paul Mercer Ellington. The Duke Ellington Orchestra is the opening act to this year's Mosaic.

Mosaic Music Festival at multiple venues at the Esplanade, from March 9-18; for programme details visit www.mosaicmusicfestival.com; tickets from Sistic (tel: 6348-555, www.sistic.com.sg) and Esplanade box office.