PICTURES: Saudi Arabia’s first jazz festival attracts thousands of music lovers

Saudi Arabia’s first jazz festival which took place over three days in Riyadh attracted a huge crowd, where over 6,000 tickets were sold according to Abada Awad, the CEO of the organizing company.

The festival was sponsored by the kingdom’s General Entertainment Authority at the International Golf Club, and included performances by famous American trombonist, Delfeayo Marsalis, and British jazz band, Incognito who started making music in 1979 and made several appearances on the UK charts.

The festival also hosted Arab jazz artists, including the Lebanese musician and singer, Chady Nashef, and the Saudi band ‘From Riyadh’ who performed several jazz covers.

The third day of the festival was canceled due to heavy rains, yet audience members still enjoyed the event, and sang along to several songs in this historical moment while sharing videos on social media.

The Entertainment Authority announced that it will be holding more than 5,000 concerts and festivals this year, which is double the events of last year.

The section in front of the stage had a designated men’s section and a women’s section, while the sections meant for families were integrated.

Several people came for their love of jazz music, while others attended to enjoy listening to good music in a lively atmosphere.