Events

Grammy-winning singer Macy Gray will perform at the Skywards Dubai International Jazz Festival.

This unique artist is a compilation of music and fashion fantasy, proving that her character and spirit express tremendous respect to all genres of arts and creativity, with a high emphasis on musical, performance and productive ability when it comes to showcasing her vocal skills and exclusive style.

Macy is a sensual artist by far, and a inimitable singer songwriter, with 5 studio albums under her belt and a 15 million albums selling record, she scored two Grammy Awards, two MTV awards and her massive hit single “I Try,” had one of the most successful singles of all time going number one worldwide. With her fifth studio album, The Sellout released in June 2010; this artist confirmed a strong comeback on the scene, with the initial reviews of the album firmly indicating that she just may be a solid choice.

“Macy is one of the very few artists whom kept an original and exclusive style on the music scene, her rich repertoire and diverse profile of skills are the highlights of her personality which makes her a looked after artists, she perfectly fits the profile of the festival line-up and will we are surely talking about a “Sellout” show!” declared Anthony Younes, founder and organizer of the festival.

The same night, February 17th, 2011, will host a performance of Jazz duo Mindi Abaire & Peter White and the headlining alternative band LIFEHOUSE.

The festival line-up includes as well the band Train, Jools Holland Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, Alison Moyet, Mica Paris, and Joshua Radin amongst a long list of many more bands performing throughout 18 days at different venues.

For more info visit www.dubaijazzfest.com

Keyboard king Jools Holland will perform at the 9th Skywards Dubai International Jazz Festival.

The popular TV presenter, pianist and bandleader will perform live in front of the Skywards Dubai International Jazz Festival spectators on February 16th, 2011 at the Dubai Media City Outdoor Amphitheater, following the concert of the Pop Icon Alison Moyet.

Anthony Younes, founder and organizer of the festival, said “We are really pleased to have such popular and respected artists as Jools Holland and Alison Moyet headlining the opening night of the festival, the 2 shows will certainly appeal to large tasteful crowd, and I hope they can surprise the crowd with a special dual appearance, let’s wait and see! ”

Jools’ Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra will include Gilson Lavis, special guest vocalists Ruby Turner and Louise Marshall.

The musical maestro sprang to fame in the 1970s aged 15 when he formed Squeeze with Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford. Their hits included Up The Junction and Cool For Cats. After co-presenting The Tube on TV with Paula Yates, Jools formed The Jools Holland Big Band in 1987 and this has gradually morphed into the current 20-piece band, with organist, drummer, three female vocals, guitar, bass guitar, two tenor saxophones, two alto saxophones, baritone saxophone, three trumpets, and four trombones. They play live in front of more than 500,000 people around the world annually.

Jools’ career as a recording artist has also seen him collaborate with performers like Sting, Tom Jones, George Harrison, Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, Bono, Joe Strummer, KT Tunstall, Robert Plant, Smokey Robinson, Sugababes, Ringo Starr and Peter Gabriel.

This night will kick off with a performance of the awarded star Mica Paris the power, and sheer soulfulness of her singing that made a major impact on the UK music scene.

Festival line-up includes as well the band Train, Lifehhouse, Macy Gray, and Joshua Radin amongst a long list of many more bands performing throughout 18 days at different venues.

For more info visit www.dubaijazzfest.com

Pop icon Alison Moyet will perform at the Skywards Dubai International Jazz Festival 2011.

Alison Moyet will warm up the night prior to Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra show. She will be performing a fantastic selection of songs from her incredible three decade career.

Alison Moyet is a multi-award winner who is branded as one of pop’s greatest survivors. Everyone adores Alison Moyet; the Basildon punk, the high priestess of electronic pop, and the peerless soul singer who has warmed British hearts since the early 1980s. She first became famous aged 21 as the singer in Yazoo, and released her triple-platinum debut solo debut, Alf, at 23. During her well established career she has released 7 solo albums, performed at Live Aid, won BRIT Awards, been nominated for a Grammy and taken on roles in London’s West End.

“Alison tops the list of the leading names from across the music world, she is going to add greatly to the line-up of the festival this year, we are sure that her show will be a great attraction to a remarkable fan base and real music appreciatives in our region” commented Anthony Younes, founder and organizer of the festival.

The 9th edition of the Skywards Dubai International Jazz Festival will kick off with the World of Jazz, a series of outdoor free concerts, at the Walk – JBR followed by another 7 nights of Jazz shows at the Jazz Garden and tying up with the main concerts nights on February 16th, 17th and 18th, 2011 at Dubai Media City Amphitheatre featuring a line-up of international artists.

For information on tickets, line-up and venue, please visit dubaijazzfest.com.

Lifehouse, known for their 2001 hit single “Hanging By a Moment,” will be one of two headlining names performing on the night of February 17th, 2011 The members of Lifehouse, who are still in their 20s, have sold more than 5 million albums during their career. Their multiplatinum 2000 debut, “No Name Face,” spawned the mega hit “Hanging by a Moment.” The group’s latest set follows its self-titled, platinum-selling 2005 offering, which scored another major hit with “You and Me.”

That single set a record by spending more than 60 weeks on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. Their singles have sold over 3 million copies. Later Lifehouse singles “First Time,” “Whatever It Takes,” and “Broken” have also achieved major chart and sales success.

For the duration of Los Angeles-based Lifehouse’s ten-year career they’ve been delicately balancing two identities: radio-ready song craftsmen and raucous live rock and roll band. On their fifth studio album, Smoke & Mirrors, the band finally unites these two personalities. , The guys in Lifehouse have an impressive resume!

Leading up to Lifehouse concert, Grammy award winner Macy Gray, will take the stage for a first appearance in the region. With five releases under her belt, Macy sold 15 million albums, scored two Grammy Awards, two MTV awards and with “I Try,” had one of the most successful singles of all time, selling “On How Life Is” like hotcakes, entering the Top Ten and going triple platinum by the end of 2000.

The festival is set to start on February 1st, 2011 and tie up on February 18th of the same month offering multiple activities and concerts; with the last 3 nights hosting the main concerts at Dubai Media City Amphitheater. The band is set to rock the Skywards stage as the closing act of the night.

Festival Line-up includes as well the band Train, Jools Holland Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, Alison Moyet, Mica Paris, and Joshua Radin amongst a long list of many more bands performing throughout 18 days at different venues.

For more details visit www.dubaijazzfest.com

Dates: March 2, 2010 – April 28, 2010

Venue: Art Couture gallery. Blue Al Fattan Marine Tower II, JBR, (Between Ritz Carlton & Hilton) The Walk, Jumeirah Beach Residence.

This exhibition is an insight into three very different approaches to contemporary art by three international artists, who are expressing themselves in their own individualism. The art works include – Abstraction, Abstract Representational Art and Abstract Realism. A scintillating plethora of mixed media, colours and techniques make this exhibition a must see’.

The exhibiting artists are the well known Corine Pagny, Natasha Barnes one of South Africa’s most published abstract artists and Art Couture’s innovative Canadian artist Cynthia ‘Reta’ Richards.

Horses and the Living Model

French artist Pagny revisits Dubai with her new collection of ‘horses’ combining minimalist strokes with dynamic effects. She will also display pieces from her signature collection ‘calligraphies of the body’ where she paints ‘the living model’ The artist uses brushes and bamboo on canvas or paper with inks or acrylics. In the artist’s words “I study human beings with no complexes…The emotions are translated in black or white, the colour is nothing but a pretext, the drawing and the gesture is a need”.

Every Day is a Painting

The natural talent and pure passion for painting of this South African self taught artist is evident in her profound style, exhibiting expressionism, colour and movement. Every painting reflects the artist’s mind, the nuance of her mood, the exhilarating trip into her aesthetic world. Barnes finds inspiration from her travels, transferring her myriad feelings onto canvas. Each piece different, following the mood of the day…….

From Weaving to Woven

Art Couture’s resident Canadian artist exhibits new additions and existing art works from one of her favourite collections ‘From Weaving To Woven’ which is a continuous work of art. The title symbolises the axiom ‘as you sow, so shall you reap’. Strikingly decorative designs captured on paper and canvas jostle alongside woven designs in subtle hues. A depth of meaning unfolds in the woven lines.

Art and Coffee – March 3, 2010 at 10.30am
Horses and the Living Model by Corine Pagny

An amazing live demonstration by French artist Pagny as she paints in her signature style ’the living model’ This well known artist was the invited speaker for a morning and by popular demand an evening coffee morning last year at Art Couture. All those who missed it don’t miss out this time. Register at art@artcoutureuae.com as limited spots available.

Art and Coffee is a monthly event Art Couture organizes as part of its vision and mission of promoting contemporary art in Dubai. Artists, art professors, curators and other guests talk about their expertise areas, once a month. This is a unique opportunity to enjoy the beauty of art, learn something new, and share your cultural interests over a nice cup of coffee.

For more information visit artcoutureuae.com

Seawings are offering visitors to Dubai the chance to take their loved one on a scenic flight over Dubai for Valentine’s Day.

The package costs AED 2500 per person and includes:

• Pearl Flights
• Dinner for 2 at La Traviata
• Bottle of House wine

The offer is valid throughout February. For further details contact Seawings.

JMC Guitar Orchestra, JMC Jazz Band and intermediate and advanced students in singing, piano and flute from Jumeirah Music Centre will be performing on February 13th in the ballroom of Movenpick Hotel at 7:30 pm. The concert is in aid of Bantay Bata 163, a charity program in the Philippines whose mission is to rehabilitate sick and abused children. Admission to the concert is free but charitable donations are most welcome.

Thank You For The Music, Part 2 is a sequel of the first Thank You for the Music charity concert held last January 10, 2009 at Movenpick Hotel featuring performing artists/teachers of Jumeirah Music Centre. This time, Thank You For the Music, Part 2 features their students. The concert programme includes piano pieces by Mozart and Khachaturian, as well as jazz pieces by Jobim and Brubeck and repertoire from musicals such as You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, West Side Story, Annie and The Wizard of Oz. The concert will conclude with the song popularized by the group ABBA which is also the title of the concert: Thank You For The Music.

For reservations, please call 04-3492662 or email jumeirahmusic@eim.ae.

Award-winning singer and songwriter David Gray will perform at the 8th Skywards Dubai International Jazz Festival on Thursday February 18th 2010.

‘We received continual requests to bring back David Gray to the festival due to the huge applaud for his outstanding appearance in 2007; his fan base is constantly growing in this region as well as worldwide, and with his latest release, we are confident that his upcoming show will be another huge success’, said Anthony Younes, founder and organizer of the festival.

The same night will feature Attila Molnar, Jane Monheit and Lao Tizer.

The Skywards Dubai International Jazz Festival will kick off on February 10th with 7 nights of unique jazz shows at the Network Jazz Garden followed by three nights at the Dubai Media City Amphitheatre on February 17th, 18th and 19th featuring legendary artists.

Tickets will be available online through boxofficeme.com, ticketingboxoffice.com and timeouttickets.com, and all Virgin Megastores outlets in UAE starting January 13th 2010.

For more details, please visit dubaijazzfest.com or call Chillout Productions on 04 3911196.

Acid jazz masters The Brand New Heavies will perform at the Skywards Dubai International Jazz Festival on February 17th 2010 at Dubai Media City.

“The Brand New Heavies show will greatly add on to the festival, they are considered a legendary name in the world of acid jazz music genre as well as for their regional fan base, we are sure their show will be remarkable and exciting” said Anthony Younes, founder and organizer of the festival.

The same night will feature James Taylor Quartet, U-Nam and Lebanese musician and composer Ziad Rahbani.

For tickets release date information and line-up details, please visit dubaijazzfest.com or call Chillout Productions on 04 3911196.

Get ready for the stirring appearance of Britain’s favourite idol James Morrison at Dubai Media City Outdoor Amphitheatre on the closing night of the Skywards Dubai International Jazz Festival, which will kick off on Wednesday February 10 2010.

Best described as the British Stevie Wonder, Morrison’s music incorporates a variety of elements from the soul music maters such as Ray Charles, Bob Seger, Rod Stewart, and Joe Cocker.

Morrison had performed for thousands of fans and at some of the largest stadiums and arenas around the globe, and now adding Dubai to the list!

“We are really excited about adding such a star to our artists portfolio, James will surely attract a huge fan base, which he built in this region due to his unique style and voice” declared Anthony Younes, founder and organizer of the festival.

Although James Morrison hit the charts at the tender age of 22, his expressive voice sounds like it has been around for much, much longer.

The same night will feature the rising star Brett Dennen, the sensual Laura Izibor and Marion Meadows.

For information on tickets, please visit www.dubaijazzfest.com or call Chillout Productions on 043911196.