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Int’l Jazz festival to kick off on November 26

A fateful encounter with Frank Sinatra, the most sought-after performer of the 1960s, will be the subject of this musical story…reports Asian Lite News

The National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) is bringing the International Jazz Festival this year, with Grammy-nominated musicians performing to create some of the finest and highest standard Jazz, Mumbai has ever heard. The festival will begin on November 25 with The Mingus Big Band, followed by Monty Alexander on November 26 and Thilo Wolf Jazz Quartett featuring Johanna Iser on November 27.

The Mingus Dynasty performed at NCPA in 2019, and the repertory group The Mingus Big Band will perform on the first day of the festival. The band is a 14-piece ensemble comprised of some of the most technically skilled and creatively expressive musicians, varying from veterans to rising stars. The band has 11 recordings to its name, six of which were nominated for Grammys and won in 2011. The Mingus Big Band will be celebrating music by composer Charles Mingus, who died in 1979.

Monty Alexander, a Jamaican music legend, will present a musical depiction of his journey from the sounds and rhythms of his native Jamaica to the classic tradition of America’s Jazz on the second day. A fateful encounter with Frank Sinatra, the most sought-after performer of the 1960s, will be the subject of this musical story.

The Jazz festival will be concluded with the Thilo Wolf Jazz Quartett with Johanna Iser, Johanna Iser is a rising star in the jazz world. Along with pianist Thilo Wolf, the International Jazz Festival will feature Norbert Nagel (reeds), Christian Diener (bass), and Jean-Paul Hochstadter (drums).

The Thilo Wolf Quartett provides authentic, intelligent, finely structured swing that is rousingly played and harmoniously built on one another. The ensemble has also worked with some of Germany’s most prestigious symphonic orchestras.

Khushroo Suntook, Chairman, NCPA, said, “The artists performing this year are The Mingus Big Band, Monty Alexander – Jamaica to Jazz, and The Thilo Wolf Jazz Quartett, have set a high standard of excellence in jazz music being played today. It is an honour for us to have the wonderful Grammy-nominated musicians perform their pieces at NCPA and we look forward.”

Mumbai-born Multi-talented Artiste Brian Tellis, who has a distinguished background in radio, theatre, and music, will be hosting ‘The International Jazz Festival’.

ALSO READ-Lithuania celebrates National Day with opera, jazz at Expo

Lithuania celebrates National Day with opera, jazz at Expo

Lithuania hosted a three-hour gala concert on the Jubilee Stage, featuring opera classics and contemporary opera fused with electronic music, reports Asian Lite News

Lithuania celebrates its National Day at Expo 2020 on Friday with an impressive line-up of cultural and entertainment activities – including jazz, opera and a gala concert on Expo’s Jubilee Stage.

Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, and Commissioner General of Expo 2020 Dubai, welcomed Ingrida Šimonytė, Prime Minister of Lithuania to the flag-raising ceremony at Al Wasl Plaza’s Stage of Nations and praised the country’s varied achievements.

The minister said: “The pavilion of Lithuania represents a country that is open for business, creativity, sustainable practices and more. The pavilion has an extroverted personality of its own and showcases Lithuania’s success as a modern nation, focusing on achievements in solar energy, information and financial technologies, life sciences, and laser technology.

“With Expo 2020, we hope to build on existing partnerships between Lithuania and the UAE. Our developing ties will only flourish further in the near future, as we seek enhanced cooperation in various other fields of mutual interest, such as financial technology, innovation, research, artiﬁcial intelligence, food security and clean energy.”

Prime Minister Šimonytė said: “I would like to thank the UAE government for its hospitality and for organising this international event, which gives us the opportunity to share ideas and solutions, especially after the interruption that the world has witnessed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are looking forward to strengthening our bilateral relations by exchanging expertise and exploring opportunities for cooperation, especially since we have a common interest in many issues, such as food security and hydrogen as a source of clean energy.

“In addition to addressing pressing global issues such as climate change, Expo 2020 Dubai presents an opportunity to learn about different cultures. In our pavilion, we are keen to convey the message of sustainability and the importance of tackling this issue in an open and flexible environment. Our pavilion is centered around natural resources and our rich culture. It also highlights the latest innovative technologies of Lithuania.”

Named ‘Openarium’, the Lithuania Pavilion is located in the Sustainability District. Under the theme ‘Sustainable Synergies’, the pavilion communicates with visitors through unique Lithuanian architecture that has been designed with elements that correlate with the heart essential parts of the country’s identity, such as warmth, nature, and comfort.

As a burgeoning tech economy making advances in everything from lasers to life sciences, Lithuania is ready to throw open its doors to the world. Inside the pavilion, the central highlight is the Unseen Lithuania exhibit, a high-definition digital tour of the country’s unspoiled natural beauty. Visitors will also be able to sample Lithuanian cuisine inside the restaurant, and to browse the authentic handcrafts in the souvenir shop.

To the backdrop of the Expo site’s illuminated night-time landscape, Lithuania hosted a three-hour gala concert on the Jubilee Stage later on Friday, featuring opera classics and contemporary opera fused with electronic music. Earlier, Lithuanian jazz musicians performed live at the Earth Stage in Expo’s Sustainability District, while Lithuania is also hosting Country Business Forum at Terra – The Sustainability Pavilion’s Auditorium.

National and Honour Days at Expo 2020 Dubai are moments to celebrate each of our 200-plus International Participants, shining a light on their culture and achievements and showcasing their pavilions and programming. Each features a flag-raising ceremony at the Stage of Nations in Al Wasl Plaza, followed by speeches and cultural performances.

Running until 31 March 2022, Expo 2020 has invited visitors from across the planet to join the making of a new world in a six-month celebration of human creativity, innovation, progress and culture.

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