Weekend jazz nights are back, with the Afif brothers leading a new quintet that plays at the JLT PizzaExpress every Friday night. Drummer Rony Afif, bassist Elie Afif, and saxophonist Jino Kim have teamed up with guitarist Max Itani and saxophonist Joaquin Sosa, creating a brand new sound.
The band doesn't have a pianist or organist at the moment, although Itani bridged that gap quite well with his guitar work. The inclusion of a second sax player in Sosa also meant some great segments of reed harmonization -- one of the best features of the musical output of this configuration.
As far as the new venue goes, it's quite different from the old dark and cozy bar atmosphere; the band is now playing in a more dining-oriented (but still licensed) space. It's compensated for, however, with more room onstage, and the pizza being actually very good. There's also an outdoor section for those who smoke, making it much more pleasant inside for those who don't. And it's in the heart of New Dubai, which also makes it a short ride away for me.
Saturday night saw the launch of a new weekly gig by Dubai-based music acts Hamdan Al Abri and The Funk Radius. The Funk Radius, consisting of jazz musicians Elie and Rony Afif together with rock musician Jay Wud, provided bass, drum and guitar support for soul singer Abri's vocal performance. A very interesting genre mix, Abri and the Funk Radius had performed together late last season, and I guess it worked out well, because they'll be doing it every Saturday night this season.
The launch took place in the "space baroque" Sublime Lounge at the Ibis hotel DWTC, conveniently located near the DWTC metro station. Substantial attendance could already be seen by 9pm, and the place filled up quickly during the first set and interval, with most staying on until the last set, near midnight.
The four performed three sets of funk, funk fusion, rock and reggae, including classics like "I Shot the Sheriff" and "Get Up (I Feel Like Being a ) Sex Machine", and more recent hits like "Get Lucky" and "Crazy". They kept the energy going until the last song of the last set, eliciting enthusiastic responses from the crowd at the lounge, especially on their more widely recognizable numbers.
The latest show in The Fridge's current Concert Series season featured Lebanese pianist and composer Philippe El Hage, supported by Dubai resident jazz musicians, the Afif brothers Elie and Rony.
It took some mental adjusting for me in the first couple of pieces, as the event was categorized as "Jazz" in publicity, and I therefore came primed for the kind of jazz to which I am used. But I detected hints of what I know to be jazz in only a few of the pieces he played, such as "Byblos", "Memories" and "Song For You". There was also a bit of Middle Eastern influence in some of them, such as in the solo "Hymn Variations" and in "Memories".
However, the overarching sound was one of contemporary piano-centered instrumental composition, rather like Yanni. Not that there was anything wrong with that; El Hage's compositions were beautifully vivid and uplifting to hear. He also plays with a visible passion, almost dancing and sometimes even getting up when his feet are not on the pedals. "Memories", "Song For You", "Sunday Afternoon" and "Where We Used to Hide" were especially good, I thought. Despite what seemed an odd combination, Elie Afif and Rony Afif did a commendable job in providing accompaniment.
El Hage also took the opportunity to premiere a piece called "Diane in White", dedicated to his new bride. He finished his program with a dramatic final piece, in which he put one of his hands "under the hood" and manually damped and strummed the piano strings.
