SIGN-OFF: Dutch pianist Michiel Borstlap performs on the last day of the Katara European Jazz Festival.

By Anand Holla


Tender strains of piano tossed with loud, pronounced rhythms and extraordinarily fast phrases, were destined to be the last ringing notes of the second edition of the Katara European Jazz Festival, as the five-day music feast at Katara came to a close on Sunday night.
Top pianist Michiel Borstlap’s nuanced performance mesmerised the large audience gathered at the open-air courtyard behind Building 5 of Katara. In fact, such enthusiastic attendance was witnessed throughout the festival.
Organised by seven European embassies – Austria, France, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Spain and Switzerland – the Katara European Jazz Festival drew music lovers in droves as each embassy brought down one jazz group from their country, shaping up a fantastic mélange of Euro jazz goodness.
Austria’s Falb Fiction led by saxophonist Viola Falb, and Germany’s Shreefpunk Reloaded packing in jazz, punk and unusual band line-ups, kicked off the event on Wednesday evening.
Regarded as one of the most gifted trumpeters of his generation, Lebanon-born France-based contemporary jazz star Ibrahim Maalouf was perhaps the most keenly awaited act for his delicious “fusion of pop, soul, electro, hip-hop, and French chansons with the music of his Lebanese roots.”
Maalouf introduced his new album, Red & Black Light, for the very first time, worldwide, in a concert collaborated with three cool Belgian musicians who helped put together his compositions inspired by the legendary Egyptian star, Oum Kalthoum.
Maalouf said, “It is an honour to present my music here in Qatar at this fascinating venue.” Red & Black Light comprises Maalouf’s own compositions, plus one song by Beyoncé.  
One of Italian Jazz’s top musicians, Francesco Bearzatti has given critically and popularly acclaimed tributes to Tina Modotti and Malcolm X. Now, he celebrates the music of Thelonious Monk “with a project of pure adrenaline, where all the energy and power of renowned rock pieces intersect with famous themes from the composer who passed away 30 years ago.” At the show, alongside Bearzatti, was the Tinissima 4et, and the band sure brought the courtyard down with their high-energy numbers.
Spain’s Biel Ballester Trio, helmed by Ballester’s superb guitar technique inspired from the Django Reinhardt manouche heritage, gave the audience a high on mellow rhythms and melodies, while Switzerland’s The Albin Brun Alpin Ensemble threw in a unique blend of jazz, folk and improvisation.
With Borstlap, who is counted among the finest pianists of Europe and has performed at major jazz festivals around the world, the Festival certainly ended on a virtuoso high. Seemingly impressed by the surprisingly warm outdoor ambience, Borstlap said he had a great time performing. “The biggest moment of the night for me was that moment when I was standing there, waiting to come and play,” he said.
Dr Khaled Ibrahim al-Sulaiti, CEO of Katara, said, “The goal behind the Katara European Jazz Festival is to cement this as an annual international jazz festival and make Doha a hub that serves as a forum for international artistic exchange between European and Arabic music traditions.”
This year, two new countries have joined the event – Spain and Netherlands. Dutch Ambassador Yvette Burghgraef-Van Eechoud said, “Considering the crowd here at the Square, the festival has certainly been a success. All the concerts were very well-visited. The ambience was great. We had a great mix of artists, like the Italian band who rocked this place. It was a nice mix of European music and European cultures. It’s good for people to see how diverse we are and yet we are Europeans who work together.”
Van Eechoud said that since jazz is a lot about improvisation, one could notice how musicians were enjoying improvising and interacting with the crowd.
“All of that enriched the whole experience. Also, the venue is great; it’s not a formal setting, people can walk around, sit on benches or chairs, and there are bean bags for kids,” she explained.
When asked about her favourite moment of the closing concert, Van Eechoud said, “At one point, there was a wonderful harmony between the music and the light. There were smoke, lights, and just one pianist playing away. It was magical.”