ISLAMABAD: Spanish Ambassador Jose A. de Ory hosted a live jazz concert at his residence on Thursday night, providing the audience a chance to embrace diverse and adventurous new sounds.

Every performance by the Javier Colina Trio kept the guests engaged. However, before the performance could begin, Ambassador Jose A. de Ory requested that his guests observe a minute’s silence to express solidarity with the victims of the two natural disasters that had hit Morocco and Libya. The Morocco ambassador, Mohammed Karmoune, joined the host on stage.

The exclusive hour-long concert marked the Spanish presidency of the Council of the European Union. It was also a chance for ambassador Jose A. de Ory to share the fascinating Spanish culture with an even mix of guests. “This is a celebration,” he said.

The ambassador’s residence was a perfect venue for this type of music. It was quaint and quiet, with respectful and engaged audience.

The trio comprised Javier Colina on double bass, Marc Miralta on drums and Perico Sambeat on saxophone. Impressed with their performances, Jose A. de Ory told his guests that he had vowed to invite them to Islamabad.

The three sounds were creatively combined to make a wonderful concert, ranging from climactic moments to calmer parts. There were instances of crescendo and decrescendo, which served to build up tension or slow down a piece.

It was the kind of music that made you want to do one of two things: relax and let the tunes run through you, or dance without a care in the world. However, it inspired guests to do both.

The variety used by the musicians was dynamic and rhythmic. Some guests could be seen bobbing their heads and tapping their feet to the pristine sounds. The audience provided much-needed support to the performers with an outpouring of appreciation.

Introducing his band, Javier Colina said he had been performing with this group for nearly two decades.

Influenced mostly by classical music, Javier Colina started playing instruments when he was as young as six years old. Hailing from a family of musicians, Javier Colina could play several instruments, such as the piano, accordion, guitar, and double bass, among others but he was more inclined towards acoustic than electric instruments.

This was the second time Javier Colina had performed in Islamabad. The jazz trio will also be travelling to Lahore for a performance.

Published in Dawn, September 16th, 2023