DOHA: Some of the best jazz musicians Europe has to offer are set to converge in Katara to enthrall lovers of the genre at the first ever Katara European Jazz Festival this week.
The Embassies of Austria, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland have collaborated with Katara in order to bring the five-day festival to the diverse audience of Qatar filled with jazz performances, film screenings and workshops, all for free.
Ahmed Alsayed, deputy manager of operations at Katara, said the festival was a collaborative effort among the five European embassies and Katara to open important windows of culture and civilization to introduce art and creativity to different peoples.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Alsayed stressed the power of music as a universal language that links people and promote cultural and that the festival is also a platform for artistic creativity and musical expression, a unique global event of its kind.
“The festival presents European music, and provides a rare opportunity for all the musicians of Qatar to meet with European performers and discover European jazz music, as well as learning its diverse patterns,” he said.
The film ‘Michel Petrucciani’ was screened last night at the Drama Theatre marking the start of the five-day festival. Another film ‘Les Fils du vent’ will be shown at 7.30pm at the same venue.
The concerts to be held at the courtyard behind Building 5 begin tomorrow with a performance by Stefano Battaglia’s Trio from Italy at 7pm.
Italian Ambassador Guido De Sanctis said the Italian band is under the leadership of Stefano Battaglia, a musician whose most recent works take inspiration from classic and modern literature. Salvatore Maiore on double bass and Roberto Dani on drums are among the best known musicians in the international jazz scene.
Following the performance is German band Jan Schneider Quartett at 9pm.
German Ambassador Angelika Storz-Chakarji said the group consists of professional musicians based in the cities of Cologne and Düsseldorf, has been regular guests in numerous Jazz Festivals in Europe such as the North Sea Jazz Festival and the Jazz Open in Stuttgart and has produced various CD recordings with musicians from a broad range of cultural backgrounds.
Two jazz bands will be featured on Friday including a trio of independent and talented musicians from Switzerland named “Alptraum” at 7pm and a French jazz group composed of well known musicians.
Swiss Ambassador Martin Ashbachr said the band composed of Marco Käppeli, Nick Gutersohn and Jean-Jacques Pedretti creates a unique musical language that captures elements taken from various traditions and cultures, a fusion of improvised and strict composed music reflecting today’s global and variegated environment.
French Ambassador Eric Chevallier assured people will enjoy the performance of the excellent French jazz group composed of French percussionist Bertrand Renaudin, Thierry Bonneaux on vibraphone, Jean-Louis Pommier on trombone and Yves Torchinsky on double bass.
The final concert will be held on Saturday at 7pm featuring Austrian band Mario Rom’s Interzone.
Chargé d’Affaires at Austrian Embassy, Sieglinde Fedele di Catrano said that the group includes three of Austria’s most promising young musicians including leading trumpeter Mario Rom, Lukas Kranzelbinder, one of the country’s most requested jazz and drummer Maximilian Andrzejewski who has shared stage with virtually every respected German musician.
Workshops will also be organised by a group of international musicians in Qatar Music Academy, in collaboration with local music students.
The Peninsula
