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MORE THAN 3,000 music-lovers flocked to the Royal Golf Club on Friday to jive away to the swinging sounds of jazz in a fun festive atmosphere.
The first Bahrain Jazz Fest, organised by the club’s director of food and beverages and executive chef Paul Gindra, Clockwork and BMMI, featured a picnic-style set-up with a family-centric and bohemian vibe.
There were hay bales and wooden crates turned into tables and seating arrangements spread across the club’s scenic driving range in Riffa Views, along with blankets of all shapes, sizes and colours and brightly-lit gazebos for the comfort of attendees.
Stalls selling Indian head-dresses, dream catchers, leather and wooden goods, shirts, bandanas enjoyed brisk business. There was also an impressive children’s play area and food stalls galore.
Local acts AQ’s Jazz Experience and the Mohammed Rashid Trio, featuring Banah and Captain Tea, started off the festivities in swinging fashion before Swing Zazou’s vintage 30s-40s big band and gypsy-swing fused offering with live-mixed electronics, made for a great foot-stomping feel.
US singer Dihann Moore’s sultry, booming voice enchanted the crowd with a beautiful rendition of Skyfall, accompanied by Coda Jazz Lounge Bahrain’s SheGroovee Band.
The Speakeasies Swing Band from Greece proved to be another crowd favourite bringing the dancers in the audience forward in motion.
The Ska Vengers then came on and took them up another groove with a unique reggae-jazz set.
The merriment concluded with an outstanding performance from the wild and funky Electric Swing Circus with added acrobatic moves for good measure.
As jazz goddess Ella Fitzgerald famously said: ‘It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing’. Bahrain Jazz Fest oozed with aplenty.
