The only thing I did regret is not having attended the whole nine-day event. Like they say, good music is never enough.
As I made my way to the festival, the awesome performances at last year's event were still fresh in my mind. The band Spyro Gyra was simply outstanding, James Blunt's sublime rendition of You're Beautiful and Goodbye My Lover gave me goosebumps and I danced with glee throughout John Legend's electrifying performance.
This year's musical extravaganza promised much more, and delivered. On February 17, a brilliant performance by U-Nam was followed by oud maestro Charbel Rouhana and his troupe. Rouhana's dexterity on the oud was commendable and he was complemented by the other musicians. Then the James Taylor Quartet treated the crowd to some exciting mix of compositions that ranged from jazz, funk, soul, rock, and even rap. Vocalist Yvonne Yanney's powerful voice left everyone spellbound.
But the headline act of the evening was in a league of its own. The Brand New Heavies had some heavyweight musicians, and I'm not talking about size here. The group is known as the pioneer of the London acid jazz scene. They have successfully transformed the funk grooves of the 1970s into a sophisticated sound that makes classic soul resonate in an era dominated by hip hop.
Vocalist N'dea Davenport, looking resplendent in a red gown, had the audience in raptures with her singing, and fluid dance movements. However, it was guitarist Simon Bartholomew who rocked the scene. He bears a striking resemblance to rock legend Mick Jagger. In fact, he was dressed like him too. A glittering midriff showing top is not what you would expect a jazz musician to wear. But Bartholomew is different and so was his great sense of humour.
On February 18, Atilla Molnar, an outstanding jazz pianist, showed some deft finger work as he brought the ebony and ivory keys to life. He played everything from modern classical, jazz, pop, Latin and RnB. He was followed by the pretty Jane Monheit, who showed her singing prowess in a riveting solo act.
The band Lao Tizer performed before headline act David Gray could take the stage and had the audience cheering on for more. Founder Lao Tizer, an amazing keyboardist, was accompanied by guitarist Jeff Kollman, who displayed skills that reminded me of rock guitar shredders the likes of Eddie Van Halen or Yngwie Malmsteen. He played with the spunk of a rocker. My colleague summed up Kollman's performance with "this man should be in a rock band. He's in the wrong job." Later that evening, I spotted Kollman and Tizer at the Network Lounge, where I was comfortably perched to watch Gray's act. I walked up to him for a chat. How many hours do you practice the guitar every day? I asked. "Eight hours," he replied, leaving me stunned. Yes, it takes sweat and toil to create magic on stage.
Gray finally took the stage and had the crowd in a frenzy in no time at all. He had everyone dancing, clapping, singing and crying as he belted out hit after hit. A great performance from a well-known star. My colleague, however, found the musician's compulsive ‘head-shaking' as he played the keyboards a little amusing. Perhaps Gray was overcome by his own brilliance.
Jane Kennedy, a South African jazz fan, said: "David Gray's performance was much more polished than when he was here two years ago; he seemed to be at ease with his band and a little less intense. The songs from his recent album Draw The Line were all superb, especially Nemesis, but I was a little upset that a lot of people didn't really respond to the new music, which is actually really good. They all jumped up when Babylon was played, of course, but talked and carried on during the latest tracks."
The last day opened with the dreadlocked sax player Marion Meadows breathing life into the instrument. Up and coming singer Laura Izibor gave her performance a sensual touch with her distinctive vocals that included styles as varied as RnB, blues, soul and jazz.
Gifted artist Brett Dennen caught everyone's attention with his folksy music. The biggest surprise came when we found out his age. We thought he was 13, but the singer is actually 30 years old. Talk about missing the mark. "Some people are blessed with youthful looks," lamented a friend.
Finally, James Morrison, dubbed the British Stevie Wonder, took the stage. He was in his element and displayed raw energy throughout his performance. He managed to get the crowd involved. Great showmanship, I must say. His tribute to Michael Jackson with his version of Man in the Mirror was touching.
The festival was a great improvement from last year. As Kennedy observed, "This year's festival was well-organised; there were far less queues than previous years and the catering had improved a lot. We went on the Thursday evening and really enjoyed the mix.
"Jane Monheit and her band were a nice start to the evening, playing classic jazz and a few cheesy tunes. Lao Tizer and his band were much funkier, with some heavy duty acid jazz. I thought both acts were quite engaging, but you could also just sit there and chat with your friends - that's what makes the jazz festival so unique."
On the flip side, the organisers decision to cordon off the seating area near the stage this year separated the audience from the bands and really annoyed hardcore fans.
"That changed the dynamics this year. It really separated the bands from most of the audience. Apart from this, it was a great event. It was lots of fun and the Media City Park is easily the most beautiful venue Dubai has," Kennedy said.
But another friend, an avid music lover, felt that some people came to the jazz festival just to enjoy an evening out. Well, events like these mean different things to different people. The most important thing is to have a good time.
