Quincy Jones to launch Dubai music events

UAE entrepreneur Badr Jafar has teamed up with legendary music producer Quincy Jones to launch an industry trade show and two music festivals in Dubai, it has been announced.

Jafar, who is president of the Crescent Petroleum, set up the Los Angeles-based Global Gumbo Group (G3) with Jones in 2011 in a bid to promote opportunities for western and Middle Eastern artists in MENA region.

Under the new proposal, G3 will launch Dubai Music Week (DMW), the region's first music industry tradeshow, and Dubai Rocks and Dubai Classics, two large scale music festivals featuring an eclectic mix of artists.

The events will be staged at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), but no dates have been confirmed.

“The emirate has a well-established network of radio, television and digital media outlets that serve the region, and this new venture with Quincy Jones' and Badr Jafar's G3 reflects Dubai's commitment to developing the media industry and boosting cultural tourism,” said Helal Saeed Almarri, CEO of DWTC.

"I strongly believe in the social powers of arts and entertainment, and so am constantly looking to see how best to use these spheres to create positive social impact,” Jafar and Jones said in a joint statement.

“We both believe this collaboration with DWTC will provide a cultural exchange between our region and the rest of the world, using music's amazing power to foster a better understanding and an appreciation for our common values."

Grammy Award-winning Jones is most famous for collaborating with Michael Jackson on his popular Thriller album.