Riyadh International Jazz Festival concludes first edition

The inaugural edition of the festival ran for three days, from 7-9 February 2024, at the Mayadeen theatre, and the reception was enthusiastic and overwhelmingly positive, with two sold-out nights at the venue’s 1,800-seat auditorium.

International artists’ acts, which included performances from YolanDa Brown, The Cat Empire, Kokoroko, Chaka Khan, Hiatus Kaiyote and Masego, were featured alongside up-and-coming regional musicians. Saudi synthpop artist fulana, Bahraini band Majaz and Instrumental Saudi jazz fusion band Garwasha showcased their work as some of the best artists in the region and welcomed the opportunity to be introduced to the international scene through this event.

Alongside working on the marketing strategy and the international  news announcements, Flint Culture delivered and managed an international press trip, attended by journalists from the UAE, USA, UK, Germany and Italy, organising a total of 14 interviews on-site with international and regional artists and with Music Commission CEO Paul Pacifico.

The highlight coverage following the press trip included a review from UK magazine Jazzwise, coverage on consumer magazines Fact UAE and Grazia Middle East, a feature on Italian culture magazine Art Tribune and a print article on German national newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung.