Jazz fans, guess what — there is plenty for you to listen out for at this year’s Emirates Airline Dubai Jazz Festival.
No, that’s not an oxymoron — with headliners including The Wanted and Carlos Santana, it’s unusual to hear jazz fans grouch that they aren’t the target audience for the festival, now in its 12th year.
The new Jazz Garden: The Legends Edition concert series may go some way to soothing those stresses, thanks to the likes of Grammy-winning guitarist Larry Carlton and Latin Grammy winner Nestor Torres, just two of the names in the line-up, which runs alongside the mainline shows from February 14-15 and 19-20.
Each night features two performers playing on a second stage at Festival Park in Dubai Festival City, the Toyota Stage in the Garden Arena. Tickets to the Jazz Legends start at Dh225, and give entry to those shows only; those holding tickets for the mainline performers can watch performances on both stages on the night; those tickets start at Dh350.
Also in the Jazz Legends line-up are Al Foster, Billy Childs, Sean Jones, Kirk Lightsey, Wallace Roney and Tony Lakatos.
Carlton is likely the name that will get the most fans of the genre fishing out their wallets. With four Grammys (and 19 nominations), the guitarist — known as Mr 335 thanks to his favourite guitar, the 1968 Gibson ES-335 — started out as a session musician for the likes of Michael Jackson and Steely Dan before finding success on his own with albums such as 1985’s Alone/But Never Alone. He performs on the Valentine’s Day line-up after pianist Lightsey, and will be onstage from 9.30-11pm.
On February 13, saxophonist Lakatos and drummer Foster take the stage, while the next weekend, on February 19, saxophonist Grossman and trumpeter Jones perform. The closing night of the festival sees flautist Torres and three-time Grammy-winning pianist Childs on stage.
Sandwiched between the weekend concerts at this year’s festival is the sixth edition of the Jazz Garden, the soulful beating heart of the music event, now in its sixth year and titled The Weekdays Edition. The weeknight concerts are free to attend and include Alex Schultz and Raphael Wressnig’s Soul Gift Band featuring Sax Gordon, Jonathan Fritzen, Deitra Farr and “Sugaray” Rayford.
“After the introduction of jazz in the UAE, we are able to establish a strong community for this specific genre. With the collaboration of Dubai Calendar, our goal now is to continuously support and further the jazz movement here in the Middle East,” said Anthony Younes, co-founder and CEO of Chillout Productions, organisers of the festival. “We are excited about this addition to our festival and believe we will see jazz lovers from across the region come along to tap their toes.”
Jazz Garden — The Legends Edition line-up
February 13
8–9.15pm: Tony Lakatos
9.30-11pm: Al Foster
February 14
8-9.15pm: Kirk Lightsey
9.30-11pm: Larry Carlton
February 19
8–9.15pm: Steve Grossman
9.30-11pm: Sean Jones
February 20, 2014
8–9.15pm: Nestor Torres
9.30-11pm: Billy Childs
Jazz Garden — The Weekday Edition line-up
February 15
8.30-9.30pm: Four 80 East
10-11pm: Alex Schultz and Raphael Wressnig’s Soul Gift Band featuring Sax Gordon
February 16
8.30-9.30pm: Jonathan Fritzen
10-11pm: Tad Robinson and band
February 17
8.30-9.30pm: Paul Shilts Weimar
10-11pm: Deitra Farr and band
February 18
8.30-9.30pm: Matt Marshak and Le Bron
10-11pm: “Sugaray” Rayford and band
