Dubai Jazz Festival deserves more support!
Posted on 28 February 2009 with no comments from readers
The seventh Dubai International Jazz Festival wound up last night after rocking the emirate for ten nights in a row. It remains a jewel on the cultural desert of Dubai, and ought to get more support from local business and government.
Why? Well, apart from my own passion for this genre of music and its close associates, this event epitomizes the multi-cultural spirit of a city like Dubai and sends out all the right messages to the global community. Its patronage by the Dubai Arts & Culture Authority is a mark of some official endorsement.
Making music
Over the past seven years I have watched this event move from being a very modest affair to a size that must rank it up with similar major jazz festivals around the world, and some of the best and brightest names seem happy to come to play in the warm Dubai night air at this time of year.
In terms of serious talent this year’s line up included: James Blunt, Spyro Gyra and Dave Koz. James Blunt is not a jazz singer but the Dubai festival has always stretched its boundaries to the best of modern music, although I wondered if this year’s emphasis on soul music – with Lizz Wright, John Legend and Incognito – did not go too far.
The festival’s location in the grounds of the Dubai Media City also gives it a special feel, and an alcohol license. And I suppose it is fair to say that the festival already has government support, from state owned Emirates, one of the two main sponsors and even the second Cadillac is dependent on US government support these days.
Chillout success
The promoters Chillout Productions managed to keep the venue reasonably well filled this year, despite the impact of the global financial crisis on Dubai, albeit numbers were down on last year. And probably next year will be tougher again as the crisis shows no sign of easing yet.
In that case a smaller event over fewer nights with less star attractions would seem inevitable. That is a shame and I think sponsors are missing a good opportunity to tap into the expatriates who do not necessarily go to sports events but still consume.
