NETWORK JAZZ GARDEN, MEDIA CITY

Wednesday, February 10:

8.30 – 9.30pm: Oli Silk

Originally one half of smooth jazz duo Sugar & Silk, Oli eventually released his debut solo album So Many Ways in 2006 – receiving several newcomer awards in the process. The Londoner’s 2008 single Chill or be Chilled hit number three on the Billboard jazz airplay chart in the USA.

10 – 11pm: Tingvall Trio

This Scandinavian/German outfit specialise in mixing a raucously fun live show with a variety of influences including Latin American sounds, rock rhythms and Swedish folk songs. Fronting the three-piece is pianist Martin Tindvall, who dedicated one song on their third and most recent album Snarestad Folkvisa to his cat Selma.

Thursday, February 11:

8.30 – 9.30pm: Gary Honor

Sydney-based musician Gary Honor has worked with the likes of Groove Armada, Oli Silk and James Morrison (the trumpeter, not his Jazz Fest namesake). A flautist, saxophonist and producer, Gary played for several years in the Australian Navy Band before breaking out on his own.

10 – 11pm: Nils Wuelker

Nils, a self-professed optimist, began playing piano as a child before graduating onto the classical trumpet. Inspired by acid jazz and the work of Miles Davis, he became the first ever German jazz artist to sign with Sony Music.

Friday, February 12:

8.30 – 9.30pm: Tim Bowman

Detroit native Tim Bowman was born the ninth of 12 children and grew up attending the family’s local gospel church, where he became fascinated with the guitar. Influenced by the likes of Roy Clark and George Benson, he released his fifth solo album in 2008.

10 – 11pm: Nighthawks

Veteran duo Dal Martino and Reiner Winterschladen have found their very own position between jazz, pop, and ambitious lounge music. They’ve also got a sharp eye for a song title, with cuts including Hornflakes Diner and Managing The Beatles.

Saturday, February 13:

8.30 – 9.30pm: Randy Scott

Multi-instrumentalist Randy has performed for Bill Clinton, won televised talent search Showtime at the Apollo three times and studied under the great Grover Washington Jr. He continues to write and produce in the Detroit area.

10 – 11pm: Lutz Buechner Quartet

German saxophonist Lutz was born in Bremen in 1968, and studied with the famous Herb Geller as a youth. In his professional career, Lutz has performed with the likes of Wayne Shorter, Benny Golson and Dave Holland.

Sunday, February 14:

8.30 – 9.30pm: Gregg Karukas

After paying his dues in Washington DC jazz clubs, Gregg moved to LA in 1983 to expand his keyboard skills. Inspired by Stevie Wonder and The Beatles, his emotive style touches upon everything from jazz to Brazilian flavours to smooth and hypnotic grooves.

10 – 11pm: Mischa Schumann

For their latest album The Logical Turn, The Mischa Schumann Trio have looked to both Europe and Africa. Mischa, a Hamburg-based pianist and composer, has sampled Queen’s We Will Rock You for album opener We Might Turn It Into Jazz, and has also reinterpreted a Sting song for the LP.

Monday, February 15:

8.30 – 9.30pm: Cindy Bradley

This young New Yorker chose the trumpet as a fourth grader in a last-minute rush to join her school band programme. In her teenage years, she fell in love with the big band sound of the 1940s, and as an adult Cindy has performed everywhere from Emmy Awards parties to the Superbowl. She is currently signed to influential label Trippin’ N’ Rhythm.

10 – 11pm: Massoud Godemann Trio

Presenting a style he terms ‘modern improvised chamber music’, guitarist and band leader Massoud is currently working on the trio’s follow-up to Goodsongs/Sony debut Fat Jazz. The hyperbolic biog on his website claims that one of Massoud’s new songs can cause “the physical universe’s smallest particles…to blow up in one’s ears.” So watch out for that at the Jazz Fest.

Tuesday, February 16:

8.30 – 9.30pm: Jaared

A versatile performer, Jaared’s talents on alto and soprano saxophone, as well as vocals, garnered him a nomination for Best New Artist of the Year for 2002 by The National Smooth Jazz Association.

10 – 11pm: Quintet Jean-Paul

Fronted by flautist, saxophonist and composer Gabriel Coburger – winner of the 2007 Hamburger Jazz Prize – this new outfit boasts virtuoso jazz skills. Comprising five old friends, Coburger’s saxophone and writing skills form the backbone of the project.

MEDIA CITY AMPHITHEATRE

Wednesday, February 17:

6 – 7pm: U-Nam

Calling himself a ‘symphonic soul virtuoso’, guitarist U-Nam has worked with the likes of Barry White, Kool & The Gang and Dave Koz.

The Parisian native turned professional at the age of 19, working on his solo career as well as trying his hand at production and remix work.

In 2007, his sophomore album Back from the 80s spawned hit single Street Life, which stayed in the Billboard jazz charts for more than a year. 

7.30 – 8.30pm: Charbel Rouhana

An accomplished oud player, Charbel Rouhana has written eight books detailing the techniques and tricks behind his beloved instrument.

The Lebanese maestro, who has an MA in musicology, has written for Arabic film and television shows such as Fares Bani Marwan and Sayedat Al-Kasr. In 2000, he won the Murex d’Or award for Musician of the Year.

Charbel’s last album Dangerous covers topics including love, visa difficulties, coffee and Lebanese society.

9 – 10pm: The James Taylor Quartet

British jazz-funk proponents The James Taylor Quartet began life in the mid-80s with a punk-laced Herbie Hancock cover.

They were soon championed by legendary DJ John Peel, releasing two indie albums before signing to a major label in 1988.

Based around the Hammond organ of band leader James Taylor (no relation to the American singer-songwriter), the group recorded covers of songs such as Whole Lotta Love and Jesus Christ Superstar, plus theme tunes from Goldfinger, Dirty Harry and Alfie.

They have collaborated with Tom Jones for his Reload album, as well as Manic Street Preachers, U2, Alison Limerick and The Pogues.

10.30 – midnight: The Brand New Heavies

Acid jazz veterans The Brand New Heavies celebrate 25 years in the business in 2010.

The London group came to prominence in the 1990s with singles such as Midnight at the Oasis, You’ve Got A Friend and Dream On Dreamer all riding high in the UK charts.

The Heavies also expanded their musical spectrum by incorporating hip-hop – collaborating with members of The Pharcyde and A Tribe Called Quest. They are continuing this crossover with an upcoming album featuring the likes of Dizzee Rascal and Roots Manuva.

Thursday, February 18:

6 – 7pm: Attila Molnar

Attila Molnar is an outstanding jazz pianist who has performed across the length and breadth of the United States. His debut album Dreams references numerous musical touchstones, including modern classical, pop, Latin and R&B.

7.30 – 8.30pm: Jane Monheit

Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist Jane Monheit grew up in New York, where she learnt her trade at the Manhattan School of Music.

The 32-year-old has appeared numerous times on American television shows such as Late Night with David Letterman, The View and The Today Show, and collaborated with Michael Buble and Terence Blanchard.

Her latest album, The Lovers, The Dreamers and Me, sees the 32-year-old cherry-pick both old classics and modern pop tunes.

Cole Porter’s Get Out of Town and Leonard Bernstein’s Lucky to be Me rub shoulders with Like A Star by Corinne Bailey Rae and Slow Like Honey by Fiona Apple, and Jane has even included a version of Rainbow Connection by The Muppets, dedicated to her baby son Jack.

9 – 10pm: Lao Tizer

Contemporary jazz keyboardist Lao Tizer first developed a passion for the piano when his parents were trying to encourage his sister to play the instrument.

The precocious Colorado youngster had recorded, produced and released three albums by his 17^th birthday.

He has gone on to play with George Benson, Isaac Hayes, Jethro Tull and The Commodores, and has sold roughly 100,000 albums.

10.30 – midnight: David Gray

After slogging away unsuccessfully in his 20s, singer-songwriter David Gray finally hit the motherload with White Ladder in 1999.

It peaked at number one in the UK, spent nearly three years in the album chart and produced hit singles Babylon, Sail Away and This Year’s Love. The record was also a hit in America, where the Manchester native was nominated for a Grammy.

David has since released two more UK number one albums. For the 41-year-old’s comeback last year, he announced he would be taking a more DIY approach to making music. The resulting album, Draw the Line, featured guest vocals from Annie Lennox and Jolie Holland.

Friday, February 19:

6 – 7pm: Marion Meadows

A smooth jazz saxophonist who has played with Michael Bolton, Eartha Kitt and The Temptations, Marion finally went solo after playing an impromptu set while waiting for a train – impressing fellow traveller and TV composer Jay Chattaway.

Switching from avant garde to contemporary jazz, and moving from his New England home to Arizona, Marion has since recorded 11 solo albums, the most recent of which was last year’s Secrets.

7.30 – 8.30pm: Laura Izibor

Born to an Irish mother and Nigerian father, Laura Izibor was born in Dublin in 1987. At 13, she was writing songs, at 14 she started playing the piano and shortly after she won a singing contest on Irish radio.

Later in her teens, Laura signed to Atlantic Records and crossed the Atlantic to live in New York. Last year, she released debut album Let the Truth Be Told – which peaked in the top 30 of the Billboard charts and at number two in Ireland.

Laura’s songs have been featured on The Hills, Ghost Whisperer, Grey’s Anatomy, P.S. I Love You and Seven Pounds. She has toured with acts such as John Legend, Aretha Franklin and Estelle.

9 – 10pm: Brett Dennen

Raised in the Californian city of Oakdale, folk musician Brett Dennen discovered the guitar while at summer camp.

He soon developed a love for jam bands and hard rock acts like Rage Against the Machine and Pearl Jam, moving on to playing acoustic sets at bars and coffee shops on the West Coast after graduating high school. 

Brett followed his self-titled 2004 debut album with 2006’s So Much More, recorded in less than a week at Jackson Browne’s studio in Santa Monica.

His songs have since appeared on Scrubs and Grey’s Anatomy, and Brett has toured with artists including John Mayer, Ben Folds and The John Butler Trio, and topped the iTunes folk album chart for months at a time.

The 28-year-old has been tipped as one to watch by Rolling Stone magazine in the States, and is currently on the same record label as international hitmakers Gnarls Barkley.

10.30 – midnight: James Morrison

With an old voice on young shoulders, 25-year-old James Morrison has been compared to the likes of Stevie Wonder, Rod Stewart and Joe Cocker.

The Englishman’s first album Undiscovered hit the top of the charts in his the UK, and snuck into the top 25 of the US Billboard chart too.

Full of pop-soul laments such as You Give Me Something and The Pieces Don’t Fit Anymore, the LP ensured he was the best-selling male solo artist of 2006 in the UK.

After collaborating with American counterpart Jason Mraz, James released sophomore album Songs for You, Truths for Me in September 2008 – the same month that he became a father for the first time.

The album reached number three in the charts, propelled there thanks to the success of Nelly Furtado duet Broken Strings. Recently, James has been supporting Take That on tour.

EVENT DETAILS:

What: The 2010 Dubai Jazz Festival

Where: Dubai Media City

When: Wednesday, February 10 to Friday, February 19

Cost: Free online registration for Network Jazz Garden concerts, or Dhs100 on the night including two drinks. Amphitheatre tickets cost from Dhs275 to Dhs975 per night

Tickets: Available from www.boxofficeme.com, www.timeouttickets.com, www.ticketingboxoffice.com or from Virgin Megastores

For more info: Visit www.dubaijazzfest.com or call Chillout Productions on 04 391 1196

adam@khaleejtimes.com