20 years of the Malta Jazz Festival celebrated

Artitude Gallery together with Malta Council for Culture & the Arts are hosting an art exhibition entitled ‘Portraits in Jazz’ as well as a book launch commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Malta Jazz Festival.

The Jazz exhibition and book feature artworks by artists Ebba Von Fersen Balzan (d 2008), Jeni Caruana, Olaug Vethal (d 2007), as well as photographers Darrin Zammit Lupi, Joe Smith , Patrick Fenech and Pierre Stafrace. These will take place at Artitude Gallery, 17- Tigne Street, Sliema between the 14 July and 7 August 2010.

The first Jazz Festival was held in 1990, with a stellar line up that included Chick Corea, Michel Petrucciani and Alvin Jones. The Malta Jazz Festival is an annual, open-air jazz festival hosted in the world heritage city of Valletta.

The event is managed by the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts. Throughout the years, artists were inspired by the Jazz music as well as the vibrancy of the Jazz concerts. Amongst the artists that loved Jazz and painted the musicians each year were the late Ebba Von Fersen Balzan and the late Olaug Vethal – who worked together  with Jeni Caruana from the very start of the Jazz concerts.

Amongst the photographers that frequently captured the musicians were Darrin Zammit Lupi, Joe Smith , Patrick Fenech and Pierre Stafrace. This exhibition: Portraits in Jazz will show all the artworks by these artists, together with the 20th anniversary Malta Jazz Festival book. The exhibition, as well as the book will be launched on Wednesday 14 July, on the eve of the Malta  Jazz Festival  opening day- which is being held at Ta’ Liesse, Valletta.