Malta celebrates International Jazz Day

Next Monday (April 30), musical duo Frank Camilleri and Vinnie Vella (swingin' jazz for piano and clarinet) will be joined by the band Cusp (modern jazz trio) for a concert at St James Cavalier, Valletta, commemorating the recently-instated 'International Jazz Day'.

There will also be a 'lyrics and jazz' session, in which Italian performance artist Biancamaria Stanzani Ghedini will collaborate with Alessandro Giachero (piano), Franco Fabbrini (bass) and Massimo de Majo (drums).

Artist Jeni Caruana will also be present for the concert for a live painting session. Works by Maltese photographer Joe Smith - known for his Jazz Festival photos - will also be on display on the night.

Initiated in November 2011 at the UNESCO General Conference, the International Jazz Festival is now celebrated worldwide on April 30. The event brings together communities, performers, educators, governments, experts, and jazz enthusiasts all over the world to celebrate and learn about the art of jazz, its roots, its future and its cultural impact. 

The initiative to join this important UNESCO celebration has been taken by Prof. Massimo de Majo, who lectures in Jazz Music and Jazz History at Tal-Qroqq, and by Stanzani Ghedini.

The event is receiving the support of the Fondazzjoni Temi Zammit, that of St James Cavalier and the Italian Institute of Culture in Valletta. Other institutions such as Malta Council for Culture and the Arts, Malta Tourism Authority and the Maltese National Commission for UNESCO are also offering their logistical and financial support.

In addition to the festival, jazz master classes will also be held at St James Cavalier. The tutors will be Alessandro Giachero (improvisation and jazz piano technique),

Franco Fabbrini (jazz bass technique) and Massimo de Majo (jazz drumming and advanced time feel).

For more information and bookings, contact [email protected].