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Local talent and jazz education are the focus of the fourth Bahrain Jazz Fest running in a socially-distanced and hybrid format until December 19, writes Naman Arora.
The festival kicked off on Monday evening at the Eighty-Eight Keys Academy with a jazz piano recital and masterclass by award-winning French jazz pianist Paul Lay.
Last night, music festival organisers from around the world came together during a webinar to discuss the future of such festivals, especially in light of the global health crisis.
“We are very excited to present once again the Bahrain Jazz Fest to our eager audiences,” said Jude D’Souza, one of the organisers of the festival.
“The programme for 2020 has been curated to offer not just entertainment, but an experience which is informative, educating and enriching.”
On Saturday, a webinar discussing music as a career option will be aired on social media.
Starting next Monday until Saturday, December 19, the Intercontinental Bahrain’s Downtown lounge will play host to a series of live performances, limited to 30 guests per show.
El Zephyr will be performing on Monday, followed by Esra J on Tuesday, Rod Blues on December 16, AQ Jazz Experience on December 17, Deborah Jones and Elton Shera on December 18, and HotBoxGroove on Saturday. These artists will be supported by DJ Enzo Pires.
Tickets can only be bought in sets of two, four or six, to accommodate socially distanced seating.
On December 19, three free sessions will be offered online via the Eighty-Eight Keys Academy, including Improv Guitar with Khalil Qureshi, a jazz workshop and an electronic jazz improv set with Ahmed Zainal.
“The hybrid format of smaller physical live shows, online panel discussions and masterclasses are being done for the very first time, making it possible for music aficionados to get a deeper understanding of jazz and pushing our bigger vision to establish Bahrain as a jazz music hub for the region,” Jude added.
