The Malta Independent on Sunday
Jazz and more at the Phoenicia
Icannot say I have ever been mad about jazz. I know nothing about it for a start and never got round to finding out what it’s all about. The nearest I have come to it was a handful of years ago in New Orleans, which I fell in love with even before I had seen it. Knowing this, one of my daughters arranged for a surprise visit when they were living in New York. It was soon after Katrina had struck but since the French Quarter and the Garden District are above sea level they were not touched by it and this is where we stayed.
In the evening jazz was everywhere but particularly in Bourbon Street, the equivalent of our Paceville, only there strip club doors are mostly left open and you can often see the girls displaying their all and pole dancing. Jazz was ringing out from every bar and strip joint.
One evening we went to have a look taking my grandson in his pram, fast asleep and we dashed through Bourbon street, as heads turned for we were an unusual sight. Certainly not our scene but we were curious.
*** Jazz was after all born in New Orleans. They even have jazz funerals there where sad music is played on the way to the cemetery and hot jazz on the way back.
I have to admit that what I loved about New Orleans, more than the jazz, was the delicious seafood of which there was plenty, the gumbo the jambalaya which we had not eaten before and particularly the colonial French and Spanish wooden houses dripping with creepers, flowers, plants of every sort. Gorgeous. Oh yes, and the fabulous art gallaries.
Here, years ago I went to a couple of evening concerts during the jazz festival but didn’t find the music alluring enough to go again. However, my favourite link with jazz is Dmitri Shostakovich’s light and jolly Jazz Suites which he composed in the ‘30 and which to me are exquisite.
*** At the end of July the Phoenicia summoned me for an evening of jazz and drinks. It was the launch of this year’s Malta Jazz Festival. It has been going on for some 28 years. Moreover there was a photographic exhibition of Joe Smith’s work. Joe is the visual artist for this year’s European Capital of Culture and has been following the Festival since its beginnings.
The photographs, in black and white,were beautifully displayed and contrasted well with the lively sofas and armchairs in the Palm Court.
The display was entitled: Jazz Island: A visual journey through 27 years of The Malta Jazz Festival. It is a celebration of the jazz artists who participated in past editions of the festival as seen through the eyes of Joe Smith.
Unfortunately the exhibition closed with the Jazz Festival on 21st July.
*** Joe Smith’s work, has become synonymous with the Malta Jazz Festival. The exhibition was a visual documentation of the festival since its inception. The new artistic director of the MJF is now Sandro Zerafa and his comment on the exhibition is that Joe “has managed to capture the verve, the diversity and the intimacy of this iconic event, featuring the most important artists in the jazz world, some of which have passed into the annals of jazz history.” ***
Drinks and canapés were served on the terrace where the ambience is so beautiful, especially in summer. The Stjepko Gut Quintet had already taken their place and apart from guests there was a quite a number of patrons staying at the Phoenicia enjoying the evening.
I spoke to Rob Bruno, the Marketing Director who is enthusiasm itself and to Charles Azzopardi and his wife Marthese. Charles told me that the Phoenicia has been one of the main sponsors of the Malta Jazz Festival for more than 20 years. “Over these years we have welcomed some of the world-renowned jazz musicians who performed at the MJF over the years including Wayne Shorter, John Patitucci, Diana Krall, Chick Corea, Al Di Meola, Natalie Cole, Betty Carter, Michel Petrucciani, Richard Bona and Mike Stern.”
For the Phoenicia, Charles told me, it is very important that they support cultural events in Malta especially since the hotel is associated with events and companies/associations/NGOs whose aim is to improve historical and cultural awareness on the island. “The Phoenicia has been a major supporter of art and culture in Malta over the last 70 years and has sponsored The Malta Opera festival, Heritage Malta, Patrimonju Malt and various cultural programmes. It has also hosted numerous art exhibitions at the hotel as well as forming part of Jazz on the Fringe, part of the Malta Jazz Festival. It is our belief that such world class events enhance Malta’s offer for the tourists and locals alike.”His parting words: “The concert was a sell-out. The performers loved it and we managed to attract a much younger crowd.”
Yes it was a varied audience indeed.
*** Stjepko Gut, who was playing with his Quintet that evening, has been described as being one of Europe’s best kept jazz treasures, and is also one of the patrons of the Malta Jazz Festival. He has toured and recorded extensively with many jazz icons. He was also a member of the faculty of the Institute of Jazz Research in Graz, one of the oldest and renowned institutes of its kind in the world and has been performing with the cream of the crop of the French jazz scene.
It was a most pleasant even if Jazz is not really my scene. But there was much more than Jazz and an excellent photographic exhibition. I got talking to a most interesting English couple who had both had cancer....now that is another story.