History
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2003 - 2008 Introduction In a region that is made up of an ever-changing and multi-cultural population, cultural events vary in type and genre. Nevertheless, music is the common link between all cultures and this is evident from the growing number of concerts held in the Middle East, and the UAE in particular. The management and team at Chillout Productions, passionate about Jazz and music, felt that there was a gap in the market for Jazz and similar genre of music in the region. Based on extensive research conducted over two years, they developed the theme, “Much more than Jazz” for the first ever Dubai International Jazz Festival which has now grown to an annual icon featuring world-class artists and performers covering all genres of Jazz music as diverse as blues, funk, swing, acid, rock, contemporary, modern, and fusion. 1st edition “2003” The first Jazz Festival was held in Dubai and with the support of the main sponsors “Philips” as title sponsor and “Cadillac” as the presenting sponsor, “Hilton Jumeirah” as official hotel and catering, and “Yamaha” as the official Instrument provider. In 2003, the festival drew a record crowd of 8000 Jazz fans to Dubai Media City. For a first time event, the festival proved a resounding success and received the support of some of the big international Jazz musicians and many multinational corporate supporters. 2nd, 3rd and 4th Edition “2004, 2005 and 2006” The second edition (2004), the festival almost doubled its audience to 15,000, and in its third edition (2005) the number of fans grew to over 18,000; a “20% growth”. The three-day festival developed to cover the entire DMC lakeside area increasing the number of stages to three and the number of shows to six per night, giving fans more opportunity not to miss any of the acts. As for the 2006 edition, the festival attracted more than 21,500 music lovers from Dubai, and neighboring countries. 5th Edition "2007" The 5th edition SDIJF gathered more than 25,000 fans who flocked to Dubai from the GCC region and a new crowd from Europe. An outstanding line-up captured the great audience to witness the amazing shows of the talented Jamie Cullum, TOTO , international Diva Dee Dee Bridge Water and the legendary Freddy Cole. 6th Edition "2008" – FREE CONCERTS FOR ALL! For its 6th edition, Chillout Productions extended the festival for 10 consecutive days to cater to the loyal audience of various music flavors, and to give the opportunity for all to enjoy additional exclusive shows and top performances. The festival started on February 21st 2008 and ended up on March 1st 2008. Chillout Productions exceeded all expectations by being "the pioneers" for offering free of charge concerts across the city. The first seven days of the festival, Feb 21st – Feb 27th , featured 14 international bands consisting of new international talents which rotated between two new venues; the Dusk Terrace, Radisson Sas Hotel DMC, and the Marina Square, Dubai Festival City with free admission for all. Last three days were held at Dubai Media City Outdoor Amphitheater featuring music prodigies like Jesse Cook, pop idol David Gray and The Bee Gee’s Robin Gibb with a vital line-up of artists. The 6th edition witnessed an increase of fanbase with a record of 28,500 music lovers throughout the 10 days creating a new chapter in the history of Dubai International Jazz Festival. Jamming Sessions – After Concerts Activities It is the concept of gathering artists performing each night at the jazz Festival for an after concert show. The Jam Session is where all the musicians come together to experience and enjoy the spontaneity of music and jazz improvisation. It is a hotpot for musical talent, where artists participating in the festival are invited to come on stage, rub shoulders, and rig up with their fellow musicians. At most jams, anyone can turn up and play - and the band will invariably be made up of “pot luck”. Jam session for the 2008 edition of the Jazz Festival took place at the Icon Bar at Radisson SAS Hotel, DMC.