Jazz will have company this year

The formula of the jazz festival will be modified slightly this year to appeal to a broader spectrum of musical tastes.

The Malta Council for Culture and the Arts (MCCA) on Tuesday signed off the organisation of the festival to NnG Promotions, the company behind the Elton John, Eros Ramazzotti and more recent Claudio Baglioni concerts.

For the first time in 16 years the event will not be organised by Charles Gatt, known as "City".

The new management plans to build on what has been done so far but also wants to open up the festival to appeal to a broader musical taste. Nigel Camilleri from NnG, told The Times his company looked closely at what is being done with other jazz festivals elsewhere and submitted a proposal to the government for a festival which, while having a strong jazz element, also appealed to people who wanted something else.

This year the festival will be held between July 21 and 23.

Among the artists already confirmed, Mr Camilleri mentioned local talent Renzo Spiteri as well as Tunnel, a jazz band which includes world renowned base player Percy Jones. Other names include Ian Ricci's Soho's Project and pianist Emily Bezar.

The confirmed list will be announced in the coming weeks. Culture and Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech, who was present at the signing, thanked Mr Gatt for his dedication, saying that without his contribution and vision the festival would not have reached the status it did.

While remaining an event of the MCCA, the festival will now be organised by a private company which, in past years, had brought to Malta big artists, the minister explained.