Joe Debono, one of this year’s participants at Jazz on the Fringe. Photo: Therese DebonoJoe Debono, one of this year’s participants at Jazz on the Fringe. Photo: Therese Debono

From open-air concerts to masterclasses and from intimate performances to jazz contests, Malta will be alive with the sound of jazz this summer.

Jazz on the Fringe, a 12-day programme of local jazz music, will bring together some of Malta’s renowned jazz musicians to perform in various music venues, restaurants and bars around the island.

Part of the internationally-acclaimed Malta Jazz Festival, the programme features a series of events held in the days preceding and following the Malta Jazz Festival, created under the auspices of the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts and sponsored by Malta International Airport.

Running for the third consecutive year, the Fringe Festival aims to create an awareness of the Malta Jazz Festival and jazz music in general and further expand the aim of this internationally acclaimed festival through workshops and performances.

“The aim of Jazz on the Fringe is to stimulate the local jazz scene and expose Maltese audiences to jazz beyond the confines of Ta’ Liesse,” said Sandro Zerafa, artistic director of the Malta Jazz Festival and Jazz on the Fringe. Logistics coordination for the Fringe programme is in the hands of Andrew Alamango.

The Fringe festival also includes two open-air stages, which will host collaborative performances between local and international musicians. The Mellieħa council will host the first Fringe concert to be held on July 16.

The Malta Jazz Contest will be the highlight of the event on July 21 at the Vittoriosa Marina Waterfront. Six local finalists, shortlisted from 16 candidates, will participate in the competition for jazz soloists.

The shortlisted musicians in this year’s Jazz Contest are Marc Galea, Justin Galea, Francesca Galea, Joseph Camilleri, Carlo Muscat and Sarah Marie Bugeja. Masterclasses, as part of the Malta Summer Jazz Camp, will be held at the Euro Institute for Music in Ħamrun. The daily Jazz Fringe Festival programme is taking place between July 11 and 24, excluding Malta Jazz Festival dates, with gigs typically commencing at 9pm until late.

For bookings and more information contact isabelle.gatt@maltaculture.com.

www.maltajazzfestival.org

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