Alison Moyet tonight and later with Jools

ABU DHABI // Three nights of concerts featuring international pop, soul and rock acts will begin tonight and wrap up the Skywards Dubai International Jazz Festival on Friday.

Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra will headline a concert tonight at the Dubai Media City amphitheatre, one of the last acts to play the 18-day festival. The composer, pianist and broadcaster from the UK, who hosts the BBC show Later with Jools Holland, is also known for discovering new musical talent.

His performance will be preceded by the UK artists Alison Moyet, a singer-songwriter popular in the 1980s and Mica Paris, a soul singer.

Tomorrow night will feature the American acts Macy Gray, a Grammy Award-winning soul singer, and the rock group Lifehouse.

On Friday, the final night of the festival, Joshua Radin, who gained popularity after musical appearances on the US comedy show Scrubs, will perform. He will be followed by the American pop band Train, who have sold more than four million albums in the US and are about to embark on a tour of South America.

Walid Khaled, 24, an engineer from Abu Dhabi, plans to make the trip to Dubai for all three nights.

"I love live music and I much prefer to go to these smaller concerts," he said. "I'm most looking forward to seeing Lifehouse, because I'm trying to learn their songs on my guitar."

Anthony Younes, the chief executive officer of the event organisers Chillout Productions, said the finale should have broad appeal.

"In terms of music genres and artists profiles, we made sure it satisfied all tastes and likes, while at the same time maintaining the original essence of the festival, which is jazz."

This year, the festival hosted free jazz concerts on the promenade at Jumeirah Beach Residence and collaborated with the British Council UAE for performances at the Jazz Garden, a temporary outdoor venue in Dubai Media City.

Tickets for the three nights cost from Dh275 to Dh975 and are available online from dubaijazzfest.com or direct from Chillout Productions on 04 391 1196.

aseaman@thenational.ae