The Bahrain Jazz Fest 2020 is all set to take place between December 7– 19, 2020 across multiple venues around Bahrain. The much-awaited event, which is produced by Clockwork, has a brand-new format with three distinct offerings for music enthusiasts in 2020 – live indoor performances strictly abiding by official Covid19 guidelines for six consecutive days held at the Downtown in the Intercontinental Regency Bahrain, online webinars and panel discussions with international Jazz festival directors and music educators, as well as workshops and masterclasses for aspiring musicians which will be hosted by international and local musicians in conjunction with BNP Paribas at the Eighty-Eight Keys Music Academy.
This is the first time in the history of the Bahrain Jazz Fest that the event will be taking place for 12 continuous days, with a focus to celebrate local artists and talent. The Bahrain Jazz Fest will also feature award-winning French jazz pianist Paul Lay, who will open the 2020 program on December 7 with a Jazz piano recital and a masterclass for budding musicians. Paul Lay has been recognized as ‘the most brilliant Jazz pianist of his generation’ by French media and will be performing in the festival program, in association with the BNP Paribas Foundation.
The live performances will be limited to an audience of a maximum of thirty people, abiding by official Covid19 guidelines of the Bahrain government. Hosted at Downtown in the Intercontinental Regency Hotel, Bahrain, the live shows will put the spotlight on different local bands every night playing a range of styles from jazz to blues to funk to fusion.
- Monday, December 14, 2020: Performing Artist – El Zephyr
- Tuesday, December 15, 2020: Performing Artist – Esra J
- Wednesday, December 16, 2020: Performing Artist – Rod Blues
- Thursday, December 17, 2020: Performing Artist – AQ Jazz Experience
- Friday, December 18, 2020: Performing Artist – Deborah Jones & Elton
- Saturday, December 19, 2020: Performing Artist – HotBoxGroove
In addition, DJ Enzo Pires (Bahrain Jazz Fest’s resident DJ) will be performing on all 6 nights, alongside the festival artists. Tickets are BD 15 per head including a welcome drink and will be available for purchase on Wanasa Time and can be bought in groups of two, four or six. The Bahrain Jazz Fest, in association with Intercontinental Regency Bahrain, will also offer guests the option to purchase 5star Staycations or Dinner packages which will also include access to the live shows, which can be purchased on the hotel website – www.icbahrain.com .
Speaking on the occasion, Jude D’Souza, key spokesperson for the Bahrain Jazz Fest said, “On behalf of my cofounders Paul Gindra and Michael Goodger. we are very excited to present once again the Bahrain Jazz Fest to our eager audiences. The program for 2020 has been specially curated to offer not just entertainment, but an experience which is informative, educating and enriching. The hybrid format of smaller physical live shows, online panel discussions and masterclasses are being done for the very first time, making it possible for music aficionados to get a deeper understanding of Jazz and pushing our bigger vision to establish Bahrain as a jazz music hub for the region.”
The Bahrain Jazz Fest, now in its fourth year, is prepping to have a huge celebration in 2021 to commemorate its landmark 5thyear on the island with some impressionable performances and experiences with prominent international and local artists.