A large, mellow lit room, rises and races to an orchestrated rush of authentic soul, jazz, and blues. Beyond the flurry of notes and beats, it wears a cloak of majestic silence, a haven for deep thoughts and deeper contemplations. You could as well be in a vintage bar in New Orleans, but you are soaking it all in The Club, The St. Regis Doha’s sparkling new gift to Qatar’s music lovers.
At The Club, which opened earlier this month, world-class live music coursing through a sea of genres such as Soul, Blues, Bossa Nova, Jazz, and R&B, flows alongside a variety of delicious soul food that includes small bites, tapas, a la carte dining as well as set menus. Open from 7pm to 2am, every Tuesday to Saturday, music lovers can treat themselves to international artistes taking the stage from 8 pm until late.
Carlo Scavone, Manager of The Club, told Community, “The St. Regis Doha prides itself on providing world-class live music. On stage, globally renowned artistes, including Judi Jackson, Tasha Denae and Gregory Generet from the States put on a lively performance with Jazz, Soul, Bossa Nova and even R&B and Funk music as our guests enjoy a buzzing atmosphere while savouring international food, small bites and a large selection of beverages.”
On Wednesday night, as it would be on other nights, soul vocalist Judi Jackson worked her magic through a long line of enchanting pieces as drummer, Michael Pigneguy; pianist, Davis Whitfield; tenor saxophonist Jonathan Beshay; and bassist Gilard Lopes, built layer upon rich layer of rhythm, groove and melody. Later on, another feisty soul vocalist, Tasha Danae, joined the band, tearing into cool funk and soul versions of pop hits.
Perhaps the standout trait of this whole unit is how cohesive they sound. While each of the artiste’s proficiency shines through when observed in isolation, it’s the seamless melding of their high standard of musicianship that delivers the knockout blow of wholesome satisfaction. Whitfield’s racy dash through the keys, Pigneguy’s accomplished drum work, Beshay’s drawing out of thick, sonorous strains off his sax, and Lopes busting out bass notes in clockwork precision, everything comes together just right to embrace Judi Jackson’s smooth vocal heft or Tasha Danae’s vivacious singing.
To top off, there’s the sophisticated vocal timbre of special guest artiste Gregory Generet to launch you into a delirious high. Generet, who will be performing at The Club until September 24 and from September 27 until October 1, thrilled the audience with every ebb and surge in the songs he sang. It’s understandable why The New York Times found his voice to be “so sultry you might get burned”. Rest assured you would find yourself beating the heat long after Generet’s soaring set.
The bio on Generet’s website tells us more about him, “A career in television as a post-production editor would come first for Generet. He had the pleasure of working on some of the finest news broadcasts on television but his love and appreciation of jazz endured. Three Emmy Awards and some years later, Generet found himself artistically unfulfilled and the desire to hone his craft as a singer moved to the forefront. His relaxed and friendly manner while working and listening to other artists enabled him to form friendships with many renowned musicians, most of whom he has been working with over the last few years. One in particular — pianist, producer and arranger, Onaje Allan Gumbs — produced his first recording. The result is Generet’s debut CD, ‘(re)generet-ion’. Taking on the theme of romance, Generet has re-imagined the Standard, adding his own unique styling and vocal flexibility.”
Tareq Derbas, Area General Manager of Lebanon, Syria, Pakistan, Iran and Iraq for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Middle East and General Manager of The St. Regis Doha, said, “We firmly believe that with The Club we will offer an even greater variety of music offerings with superb musicians, world-class performances, electrifying entertainment in a unique and vibrant atmosphere.”
Richard Johnson, Artistic Director for The St. Regis Doha, said, “At The Club, we believe that the key to reaching the community is through music. We pride ourselves on always having our finger on the musical pulse and look forward to bringing new artists to Doha as we ultimately diversify the musical offering in Doha’s music scene.”


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