A cocktail of musical styles, including vocal jazz, flamenco, hard-bop, fusion and Latin jazz, from some of the world’s top artists is expected to go down well at the 22nd Malta Jazz Festival being held at Ta’ Liesse, in Valletta, between today and Saturday.

The headliners of this prestigious international annual event are Grammy Award-winning world-class guitarist Al di Meola and drummer Terri Lynne Carrington.

This evening, the Paul Giordimaina Trio will be opening the three-day festival, followed by Al di Meola who will perform rhythmically-charged flamenco and tango-inspired originals.

Accompaning Mr di Meola will be virtuoso pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba.

Today’s line-up also includes a performance by the Jeremy Pelt Quartet.

Ms Lynne Carrington, accompanied by one of the premier jazz vocalists in the world, Dianne Reeves, will be performing tomorrow.

Ms Carrington, whose album Mosaic Project has just won a Grammy Award for best vocal jazz album, has played with Herbie Hancock, Marcus Miller and Yellowjackets, among other artists.

The Tigran Hamasyan Trio, also scheduled for tomorrow, finds inspiration from traditional Armenian folk music as well as poetry. The group won the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition in 2006.

Malta’s younger generation of jazz musicians will be represented by the up-and-coming Carlo Muscat (tenor saxophonist) and Alex Bezzina (trumpet player and composer).

They will be joined by vocalist Joe Debono, Hungarian bass player Mátyás Szandai and Lionel Boccara, one of the most active drummers on the Parisian jazz scene on Saturday.

Also performing on Saturday are the Will Vinson Quartet.

Chano Dominguez will be closing the festival with his combination of flamenco and jazz. He will present his latest album, which is an homage to Miles Davis.

The group will feature a flamenco dancer, singer and cajon player.

• More information may be obtained online at www.maltajazzfestival.org.

Visual Arts

Till July 21
Selina Scerri works
The latest collection of work by Maltese artist Selina Scerri created over the past year in Madrid, Rome and Malta is being presented at Lily Agius Gallery, Sliema. Open Tuesday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m., Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. or by appointment.

www.lilyagiusgallery.com

Till July 21
Wonderland of Art
The Għaqda Filatropika Talent Mosti is presenting a joint venture between Fabrizio Fenech and Shaun Grech at the Razzett tal-Markiż Mallia Tabone, Mosta. Opening hours: Mondays to Saturdays from 6 to 9 p.m.; Sundays from 9 a.m. to noon and from 6 to 9 p.m.

Till July 22
Wiċċ Imb’Wiċċ – Images of the Self
An exhibition presenting self-representations by 10 local and international artists that raise general questions of identity within social, historical and gender-related contexts. All artworks have never been shown in Malta, with most artists creating entirely new works especially for this exhibition. Opening hours: from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

www.maltaartsfestival.org

Till July 27
Peasant Costumes: Insights Into Rural Life and Society
An exhibition of peasant costumes, interpreted in their right context to provide visitors with precious snippets of the ordinary, yet incorrupt hard working rural population, whose toil and simple life made drastic inwards in literature and the arts, particularly in the 19th century. At the Ministry for Gozo, St Francis Square, Victoria. Opening hours: from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Till July 29
Metal Magic: Spanish Treasures from the Khalili Collections
A selection of works from the Khalili Collections is showing at the Grand Salon of the National Museum of Archaeology.

Till July 29
Art from Armenia
Two Armenian artists are showing their works at St Ursula Hall, Cittadella, Gozo. Gevorg Endza Babakhanyan is already known to the Maltese public for his participation in the collective exhibition Gentes (2010) is presenting an anthology – a journey in time, his first paintings followed by a period of study at the Academy of Venice, his stay in Tuscany and finally his latest works in Armenia. Arman Hambardzumyan is on the other hand presenting his drawings, paintings and sculptures, works rich in irony, modernity, and a healthy dose of surrealism.

Till July 31
Sò come sono, e come sarò
An art exhibition by Luciano Schifano organised by the Malta Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, as part of the celebrations to commemorate the 160th anniversary of the society. At Palazzo de La Salle, 219, Republic Street, Valletta. Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 8.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.; Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Entrance is free.

Till August 19
In the Wake of Caravaggio
An exhibition of oil paintings by Hungarian artist Tamás Cserna is showing at the Inquisitor’s Palace, Vittoriosa. Other works by the artist can be viewed at the Opus 64 Galerie, Tigné Street, Sliema.

Other

Tomorrow
Pottery classes for children
Space for Clay is organising pottery classes for children from 5 to 7 p.m. More details may be obtained from Rosella Schembri on 7920 6464 or e-mail: spaceforclay@gmail.com

Tomorrow
Edward Pirotta: Sculptor (1939-1968)
Joseph Paul Cassar will be giving a lecture focusing on research findings and analysis he studied for the past 12 years. The focus remains on the prolific sculptural output of prodigy, Edward Pirotta. Reference will be made to various works executed in Malta, Rome and the United Kingdom within the historical background of the time. The lecture will provide a chronology of the artist’s short productive life as well as to his rise to fame with the famous pair of blackamoors that perplexed antique experts and made news in The Sunday Times Magazine, London in August 14, 1966. The talks, richly illustrated with several images, is being held at the Music Room, St James Cavalier, Valletta, at 9 p.m.

Feasts

Sunday
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Żurrieq; St Joseph, Msida; Christ the King, Paola; St Margaret, Sannat.

Useful contacts

St James Cavalier
Tel: 2122 3200
E-mail: info@sjcav.org
www.sjcav.org

Manoel Theatre
Tel: 2124 6389
bookings@teatrumanoel.com.mt
www.manoeltheatre.com.mt

To submit a cultural event e-mail: arts@timesofmalta.com