Music is the food of love

The plays of William Shakespeare often play with the notion of love. Some of them tell the story of star-crossed lovers, others of lovers who fall into a fantasy world, and there are also those which speak of lovers who are in love with love itself. This last category tells us that music is the food of love – and, with this notion clearly in mind, the food of love will be brought to us by a number of performers on the day when love is king: February 14.

Starting off in Paphos, and at the Technopolis 20 Cultural Centre, the Steppin’ Out Jazz Trio will perform unforgettable jazz love songs, including hits like ‘When I Fall in Love’, ‘As Time Goes By’, ‘My Funny Valentine’ and ‘Fly Me to the Moon’.

Alice Ayvazian, on vocals, has a Bachelor’s Degree in Vocal Performance from Berklee College of Music in Boston. During her time in America, she participated as lead and backing vocalist in numerous studio recording projects as well as performances and concerts. She has also performed at various venues, concerts and special events in Cyprus and has conducted numerous vocal workshops for choirs and other educational institutions.

Konstantinos Efraimidis is a classically trained clarinetist who received his diploma from the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki. He is currently continuing his music studies in Jazz Performance under the instruction of saxophonist Charis Ioannou at the University of Nicosia.

Dimitris Miaris, on piano, had his first connection with jazz through the Jazz Futures workshops in Nicosia when he was 16. Since then he has attended a number of workshops in Cyprus and in Italy, and has received a Bachelor’s Degree in Jazz Piano from the Ionian University’s Jazz Department.

Also in Paphos, husband and wife acoustic duo Major/Minor will be giving a romantic sound to the evening at the Marrakech Lebanese Moroccan Restaurant.

While traditional Moroccan and Lebanese cuisine will be served, the duo – who are Dan and Charlotte Kelly – will present some classic and current hits, to the melodic strains of the acoustic guitar.

In Nicosia the Sarah Fenwick Quintet will perform classic jazz music at Sarah’s Jazz Club at 9pm.

The quintet, with renowned jazz singer Sarah Fenwick, brilliant guitarist Marinos Neofytou, soulful saxophonist Iacovos Parpas, and with the rhythm section made up of talented bassist Costas Challoumas and drummer George Koulas, will make sure the atmosphere is just right for love.

While the quintet sings of how every day should be Valentine’s Day, you can enjoy a buffet created by Cordon Bleu chef Maria Markitani.
If you are in the capital and jazz is not your thing, then why not join singer Elena Hadjiafxendi at the Cava Perianos, where she will perform world music with a dramatic twist.

London-based Hadjiafxendi has given the genre of cabaret music a new artistic dimension with her beguiling performance of wildly poetic stories with a strong and philosophical undercurrent. Her repertoire ranges from classical, musical theatre, film and television, to opera and poetry shows.

Unforgettable Jazz Love Songs
Performance by the Steppin’ Out Jazz Trio. February 14. Technopolis 20 Cultural Centre, Paphos. 8pm. €10. Tel: 70-002420

The Marrakech Valentine’s Event
Live performance by the Acoustic Duo. February 14. The Marrakech Lebanese Moroccan Restaurant, Kissonerga, Paphos. 7pm. Tel: 99-283566

My Funny Valentine
Live performance by the Sarah Fenwick Quintet plus a buffet. February 14. Sarah’s Jazz Club, 35 Xanthis Xenierou Street, Nicosia. 9pm. €30. Tel: 95-147711

Elena Hadjiafxendi – Les Amoureux
Live performance by the singer. February 14. Cava Perianos, 54a Stadiou Street, Strovolos, Nicosia. 8pm. €10. Tel: 22-427930

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.