Not jazzy enough

During the past 15 years we have watched the steadily rising quality of performances at the Malta jazz Festival. We have watched the interest that the festival has generated among a wide spectrum of young Maltese musicians, resulting in some of them attaining international standards in their playing. The Maltese have been given the chance to talk and perform with a number of these high-calibre musicians, thanks to the jazz festival.

This year I read with dismay the line-up for this event under a new and "improved" format. I humbly ask: Where's the jazz? Where is the quality among the foreign artistes in this year's edition?

The Alan Parsons Project, topping the bill, is definitely not jazz. Neither are the Blues Brothers. They are more fit for the Song for Europe Contest. Just imagine if the Finnish group Lordi were to be invited to a classic music festival in order to attract more people. That would raise more than an eyebrow.

The NNG promoters have been quoted as saying that the jazz festival was "an intellectually high calibre event and people looking for easy listening might find it a little too jazzy for them". Excuse me, but don't we have enough low-calibre music events here?

Is the solution to bring performers who do not play jazz music to the Malta Jazz Festival?

I suggest that the word "jazz" be dropped from all the promotional material and replaced by the word "music". Jazz was never a money spinner and since the primary aim this year is not cultural but simply business, this buzz word is more of a liability than an asset.