The Jazz Club by QC in Abu Dhabi
Not every night out in Abu Dhabi needs to be a high-energy affair. Sometimes, the best evenings are the ones spent tucked away in a cosy corner, sipping a well-made mocktail while jazz music softly fills the airwaves.
The Jazz Club by QC, hidden behind a curtain in Al Raha Beach, offers just that. Consider it a secret little world where music, coffee and delicious desserts take centre stage.
Step inside and it feels like you've travelled to a different era – the 70s, to be exact. The maroon-draped curtains give way to an intimate space bathed in a warm, moody light, where plush velvet couches invite you to sink in and stay awhile.
(Credit: The Jazz Club by QC)
The walls pay homage to jazz greats, their portraits watching over the room as a traditional record player crackles in the background. It's a space built for just around 20 people – a small but intentional crowd, creating an atmosphere that's cosy, exclusive and effortlessly cool.
The story behind it? It all started when The Jazz Club's founder, Sulaiman Alalawi, was brewing coffee for his future in-laws, filling his home with the scent of oud and, almost by accident, stumbling upon Miles Davis' Kind of Blue record.
That first encounter with jazz was unexpected, even a little strange, but the emotional connection stuck. Now, years later, that passion for music and coffee shapes this under-the-radar Abu Dhabi spot.
While the venue is known for its impeccable coffee and creative mocktails (the Herbie's funk is a must-try), desserts are where the real magic happens. Take 'the moon' – a stunning grey, cratered sphere that looks like it was plucked straight from the night sky.
(Credit: The Jazz Club by QC)
But cut into it, and you'll find the smoothest mousse-like texture with a peanut buttery finish that lingers long after your last bite. Then there's 'the lady in red' – a striking black pillow with a bold red heart on top. It's impossibly soft, creamy and laced with hints of raspberry.
This isn't just a jazz club, and it's certainly not just a café. It's an all-round experience and one that dallies like the last note of a saxophone solo, smooth, soulful and memorable.
Abu Dhabi might not have been the obvious place for a jazz spot, but The Jazz Club by QC proves that sometimes, the best things are unexpected.
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Time Out Abu Dhabi
02-05-2025
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The Jazz Club by QC in Abu Dhabi
Not every night out in Abu Dhabi needs to be a high-energy affair. Sometimes, the best evenings are the ones spent tucked away in a cosy corner, sipping a well-made mocktail while jazz music softly fills the airwaves. The Jazz Club by QC, hidden behind a curtain in Al Raha Beach, offers just that. Consider it a secret little world where music, coffee and delicious desserts take centre stage. Step inside and it feels like you've travelled to a different era – the 70s, to be exact. The maroon-draped curtains give way to an intimate space bathed in a warm, moody light, where plush velvet couches invite you to sink in and stay awhile. (Credit: The Jazz Club by QC) The walls pay homage to jazz greats, their portraits watching over the room as a traditional record player crackles in the background. It's a space built for just around 20 people – a small but intentional crowd, creating an atmosphere that's cosy, exclusive and effortlessly cool. The story behind it? It all started when The Jazz Club's founder, Sulaiman Alalawi, was brewing coffee for his future in-laws, filling his home with the scent of oud and, almost by accident, stumbling upon Miles Davis' Kind of Blue record. That first encounter with jazz was unexpected, even a little strange, but the emotional connection stuck. Now, years later, that passion for music and coffee shapes this under-the-radar Abu Dhabi spot. While the venue is known for its impeccable coffee and creative mocktails (the Herbie's funk is a must-try), desserts are where the real magic happens. Take 'the moon' – a stunning grey, cratered sphere that looks like it was plucked straight from the night sky. (Credit: The Jazz Club by QC) But cut into it, and you'll find the smoothest mousse-like texture with a peanut buttery finish that lingers long after your last bite. Then there's 'the lady in red' – a striking black pillow with a bold red heart on top. It's impossibly soft, creamy and laced with hints of raspberry. This isn't just a jazz club, and it's certainly not just a café. It's an all-round experience and one that dallies like the last note of a saxophone solo, smooth, soulful and memorable. Abu Dhabi might not have been the obvious place for a jazz spot, but The Jazz Club by QC proves that sometimes, the best things are unexpected.
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US music supremo Quincy Jones dies aged 91
Quincy Jones, the man known simply as "Q," was a huge influence on American music in his work with artists ranging from Count Basie to Frank Sinatra and reshaped pop music in his collaborations with Michael Jackson. Jones died on Sunday at the age of 91, his publicist said. There was very little Jones did not do in a music career of more than 65 years. He was a trumpeter, bandleader, arranger, composer, producer and winner of 27 Grammy Awards. A studio workaholic and a virtuoso at handling delicate egos, he shaped recordings by jazz greats such as Miles Davis, produced Sinatra, and put together the superstar ensemble that recorded the 1985 fund-raiser "We Are the World," the biggest hit song of its time. Jones also was a prolific writer of movie scores and co-produced the film "The Color Purple," as well as the 1990s television show "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," which launched the career of Will Smith. Jones' circle of friends included some of the best known figures of the 20th century. He dined with Pablo Picasso, met Pope John Paul II, helped Nelson Mandela celebrate his 90th birthday and once retreated to Marlon Brando's South Pacific island to recover from a breakdown. US producer Quincy Jones walks on stage during the 53rd Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux. File/AFP Everything he did was stamped with his universal and undeniable hipness. U2 frontman Bono called Jones "the coolest person I've ever met". Jones' most lasting achievements were in collaboration with Jackson. They made three landmark albums - "Off the Wall" in 1979, "Thriller" in 1982, and "Bad" in 1987 - that changed the landscape of American popular music. "Thriller" sold as many as 70 million copies, with six of the nine songs on the album becoming top 10 singles.
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Montreux Jazz Festival hails 'godfather' Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones was the godfather of the Montreux Jazz Festival and was instrumental in bringing different styles to the stage, the event's chief executive said on Monday. Music industry titan Jones, who died on Sunday aged 91, co-produced the Swiss festival from 1991 to 1993 -- and returned to Lake Geneva every summer until 2019 to perform and immerse himself in the sounds. "He came every year, spending time with us, listening to music, advising us. He was like a big godfather to the Montreux Jazz Festival," chief executive Mathieu Jaton said. "It's a very big page which has turned," he said. "What he did for the festival will last forever." Jones's influence steered Montreux into blending styles and artists. The festival is now a magnet for big names as well as for rising stars, having dramatically expanded its repertoire beyond its jazz beginnings. Jaton said jazz hero Jones and the festival's founder Claude Nobs had "exactly the same vision" for the event, which sparked criticism in the 1990s for bringing in hip-hop and Latin music. "He was deep into the music and always bringing a lot of different people on stage to play together," said Jaton. "He was mixing all kinds of music -- if the music was good. "That put Montreux on the map in a totally different way. It was the festival where musicians can express themselves and enjoy playing with other musicians," he said. Jaton said one of Jones's landmark achievements at Montreux was convincing the great jazz trumpeter Miles Davis at last to revisit major works from his past -- just two months before his death in 1991. The resulting album, Miles and Quincy: Live at Montreux, won a Grammy Award. "That was his capacity to bring an artist to a different comfort zone and make a concert which is going to be legendary," said Jaton. "It was far beyond his musical competence: it was his charisma also. Every single musician wanted to talk to Quincy and be with him. "He was not behaving like a superstar. He was accessible. He was sitting in the crowd and talking to everyone. And so passionate about music." While the festival will consider how best to pay tribute to Jones, Jaton said: "I rather prefer when it's coming from the artists themselves, because it's more authentic. "I will just remember that image of Quincy vibrating on stage, listening to young musicians and making a little sign to me saying, 'who's that guy playing bass? Wow, he sounds really good!' "That was Quincy: listening to jam sessions and just feeling, 'this guy is great, I want to talk to him' -- and then spending an hour talking to a young guy who's 20 years old. "He changed the lives of many young artists in Montreux just by talking to them. That's what I have in my heart today: that man."
