Jazz artist Georgina Jackson is set to perform with The Pete Long Quintet for an evening of timeless tunes and a swinging good time
A British trumpeter and regular singer at a historic jazz club in London is set to perform in the capital.
Georgina Jackson, who plays the trumpet and sings with the renowned Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Orchestra in London, will be showing off her talents at The Club near Mina Zayed on 26th February.
It won’t be her first visit to Abu Dhabi, as Georgina played the trumpet in the musical, Chicago, when it was staged in May 2007 at Emirates Palace.
She says, “On my last visit, I found the people in Abu Dhabi friendly, the food delicious and the scenery beautiful. I have never experienced the jazz audience there, but I hope they’ll be warm and enthusiastic.”
Georgina will find out when she returns to perform alongside the five-piece band The Pete Long Quintet, led by musical director Pete Long.
The musicians are regular performers at Soho’s Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, which is considered to be one of the oldest and most prominent jazz clubs in the world.
We catch up with Georgina ahead of her visit to Abu Dhabi.
You started your jazz career as a trumpet player. What prompted you to take to the mic?
I always enjoyed being in a band, playing trumpet, backing up the singers. Then I thought to myself, I’d like a go at that. It looked like lots of fun and it gave me the chance to wear nice dresses!
You’ve always been a jazz fan. Why do you like the genre?
I was surrounded by that type of music from an early age. I became obsessed with Frank Sinatra and the American jazz pianist Count Basie while all my friends were into the English rock band Duran Duran. I love the energy, feeling and atmosphere created by good swing and jazz music.
Which artists have influenced your love of swing and jazz?
Frank Sinatra, definitely. I was really honoured to tour with his daughter Nancy a few years ago. She was lovely and I had tears in my eyes every night when she sang, ‘Something Stupid’. I also love the American jazz singers Peggy Lee and Harry Connick Jr.
Why do you love performing?
The best thing is watching the audience having a good time at one of your concerts; we laugh, cry and have fun together. It’s nice to give people a break from their everyday lives and troubles.
Do you think the internet and accessibility of music online has drawn younger people to jazz?
Yes, there are a lot of websites that allow people to listen to music randomly. Those days of knowing exactly which album you wanted to buy and picking it up at the shop are gone.
Do you miss those days?
Recorded music has become so instant and dispensable that it has lost some of its value. I’m not sure some of the younger generation realise the skills and years of practice that are involved with playing real instruments. Musicians do find it difficult to make a living from recording music these days so we just have to hope that people continue to go out and support musicians by attending concerts.
What can we expect from your performance at The Club?
The show features five fabulous, entertaining musicians and me. All the musicians are in the highest demand in the UK. They perform regularly with the BBC Big Band and Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Orchestra and are frequently featured on BBC Radio. We hope to have your toes tapping and give you a musical evening to remember.
The Club, Mina Zayed. Tickets AED 125 for club members, AED 150 for non-members. Doors open at 7pm. For more information contact: 02 673 1111 www.the-club.com
Ferdinand Godinez
