ALL THAT JAZZ

Jazz fans in the kingdom will be able to get into the swing of things next month when Bahrain’s first international jazz festival takes place to celebrate the classic genre.

The Royal Jazz Festival will take centre stage on October 6 on the scenic driving range of the Royal Golf Club in Riffa Views, with the line-up consisting of five internationally-renowned jazz artists and three local acts.

The organisers are expecting more than 3,000 fans from the region to attend, a turnout which the RGC’s director of food and beverages and executive chef Paul Gindra believes could cement the Royal Jazz Festival as an annual event.

He said: “We are extremely excited and privileged to be able to host the first running of this event. Together with our organising partners Clockwork and BMMI, we have been working hard to create a unique jazz experience that the whole family can enjoy. This event will be a first for Bahrain and we are extremely proud of it.”

The festival will feature internationally-acclaimed acts Electric Swing Circus (UK), The Ska Vengers (India), The Speakeasies Swing Band (Greece), Swing Zazou (UK) and the Dihann Moore & the SheGroovee Band (US) as well popular local acts AQ’s Jazz Experience, Mohammed Rashid Trio featuring Banah and Captain Tea.

Furthermore, the festival has been created with a community approach in mind and will host a series of jazz workshops and local music events at various venues this month.

These include a Jazz Music Workshop on Saturday at Malja Bahrain in Amwaj Islands. Entry is free and it will take place between 3pm-5pm.

On September 15, there will be a Jazzy Brunch with AQ at the RGC’s Links restaurant from midday to 4pm. Entry is BD24 with a valid Jazz Festival ticket, or BD30 without.

On September 23, a Jazz Jam will take place at Coda in Juffair, featuring local talents Pocket Jazz and Mohammed Rashid.

Finally, on September 26, there will be an After Brunch Jazzers with Captain Tea event at a venue to be confirmed.

Jude D’Souza, managing partner of Clockwork, said: “We would like to thank our corporate partners for their support in making the Royal Jazz Festival a reality for Bahrain.

“We are especially proud to have the backing of the Economic Development Board of Bahrain, who share our vision for making this exciting initiative an annual drive for tourism in the kingdom and also be a contributor to the promotion of local music talent in Bahrain.”

Bahrain’s finest jazz exponents are gearing up to strut their stuff on the big stage. Frontman of AQ’s Jazz Experience, Ahmed AlQasim, is one of Bahrain’s celebrated musicians and jazz stalwarts. Having featured regularly in festivals from Bahrain to Cairo, Ahmed brings his unique jazz and blues music show, as he sings and plays his seven-string bass guitar together with two Bahraini musicians - Abdulla Haji on saxophone and Noor AlAwadhi on percussions.

The Mohammed Rashid Trio, fronted by the eponymous guitarist, were heavily-inspired by the revolutionary playing style of Gypsy Jazz pioneer Django Reinhardt, while simultaneously infusing contemporary renditions of both Arabic and Western classics to produce a sound that will take you all the way back to 1930s Paris.

The trio will feature Banah, a Bahrain-based singer-songwriter who recently-opened for pop icon Tom Jones in Bahrain.

Electronic musician and DJ Captain Tea is also Bahrain-based. He’s a musical genre bender, who loves to dish out funk, afrobeat, house, Latin, a sprinkling of jazz, and a slice of techno for good measure. As a founding member of Boho Baha, Captain Tea has been involved in organising a number of local music focused events.

The family friendly event is open to all ages and starts at midday and will run until 10pm. As well as the music on offer, there will be activities for the whole family such as interactive children’s tents, food trucks, corporate hospitality areas, activation zones and all-day markets.

BMMI senior key account manager Michael Goodger explained: “It promises to be a fun day for the whole family, with unique on-site activities catering to all ages and some truly landmark musical talents on display. I don’t doubt that people in Bahrain and across the GCC will be marking their calendar for this year’s must-attend event!”

The festival tickets are priced at BD20 for adults and BD10 for juniors with children aged six and under admitted free (all standing). Tickets are available online on Virgin Megastore and VisitBahrain.bh and are also available at Room 2 Rock, Ramee Grand and The Royal Golf Club. Early Bird tickets are available, with 20 per cent discount, for a limited time only.

For more details about the event, its attractions and activities, visit www.royaljazzfest.com or the Facebook page Royal Jazz Fest.