The most eclectic jazz festival to-date was announced this afternoon during a news conference.
The 21st edition of the festival is being held between July 14 and 16 at Ta’ Liesse in Grand Harbour.
However, the stage will be moved this year to improve acoustics.
Over the years, this festival has hosted jazz greats such as Chick Corea, John Scofield and Michel Petrucciani. Last year, the event was headlined by Mike Stern, Richard Bona and a pre-Grammy Esperanza Spalding.
This year’s festival will incorporate world music elements from Brazil, Jamaica, the Middle East, the Mediterranean and Af rica.
It will be opened by Lionel Loueke, a guitarist from Benin who was mentored by Herbie Hancock, the latter describing his student as “a musical painter”
He will be followed be Jamaican Monty Alexander and the Harlem Kingston Express, which features a hybrid ensemble of jazz and reggae, unified by Alexander’s passion for both genres on the piano.
On the second day, trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, known for his cutting edge jazz will play alongside Brazilian guitarist Joao Bosco, a renowned samba, Bossanova and MPB (música popular Brasileira) player.
Another New York – saxophonist Seamus Blake, plays on the third and final day. There will also be an electro-groove project featuring drummer Jorge Rossy. The festival will close with virtuoso base player and vocalist Israeli Avishai Cohen who blends jazz, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern music.
The Maltese artists taking part in the festival are Nadine Axisa, the Mark Galea quintet and the Argotti Jazz ensemble.
Tickets, at €20 (€12 – students and 60+) for one day or €40(€30) for three, are being sold on maltaticket.com . Children under 12 will enter free of charge.
Culture Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco said the festival had moved away from the commercial experiment and organisers were currently working with tourism agencies to draw up packages incorporating the festival.
He said he would like to see the start of a fringe festival for more people to be attracted to this festival.
The Festival is organised by the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts under the artistic direction of jazz musician Sandro Zerafa.
www.maltajazzfestival.org
Line-ups
July 14
NADINE AXISA BAND
Nadine Axisa - vocals
Marvin Gaerty - guitar
Harry Eddleston - piano
Matteo Bortone - bass
Joe Micallef - drums
Adrian Galea – percussion
http://nadineaxisa.homestead.com/
LIONEL LOUEKE
Lionel Loueke - guitar/vocals
Massimo Biolcati - bass
Ferenc Nemeth – drums
MONTY ALEXANDER HARLEM KINGSTON EXPRESS
line-up TBA
July 15ARGOTTI JAZZ ENSEMBLE
(musical direction Dominic Galea)
Dominic Galea - piano, musical direction
Mario Borg - alto sax
Carlo Muscat - tenor sax
Adrian 'ir-Russu' Brincat - trumpet
Effie Azzopardi – flugelhor
Mario 'Cocker' Aquilina - bass
Benedict Galea - drums
Doreen Galea/Claudette Pace - guest vocalists
AMBROSE AKINMUSIRE
Ambrose Akinmusire - trumpet
Walter Smith III - tenor sax
Sam Harris - piano
Harish Ragavan - bass
Justin Brown – drums
http://www.ambroseakinmusire.com/
JOÃO BOSCO
João Bosco - vocals/guitar
Ricardo Silveira - guitar
João Baptista - bass
Kiko Freitas – drums
http://www.joaobosco.com.br/novo/
July 16
MARC GALEA QUINTET
Marc Galea - guitar
Robin Nicaise - saxophone
Paul Abela - piano
Alan Portelli - bass
Joe 'Bibi' Camilleri - drums
SEAMUS BLAKE
Seamus Blake - saxophone
Scott Kinsey - keyboards
Tim Lefebvre - bass
Jorge Rossy – drums
http://www.seamusblake.com/fr_home.cfm
AVISHAI COHEN 'SEVEN SEAS'
Avishai Cohen - bass/vocals
Shai Maestro - piano
Amir Bresler – drums