06/07/2026
Malta's father of Jazz - Charles "City" Gatt Auction Friday 10th July
Born on 16 August 1944 in Żebbiegħ, Charles "City" Gatt studied to become a teacher at St Michael's College of Education and taught art from 1968 to 1975. Gatt subsequently left Malta to study at the Berklee College of Music in Boston in 1978 and 1979, where he formed part of several jazz ensembles and big bands and performed at some major jazz festivals across Europe and Asia.
Soon after his return, he joined the School of Music to teach percussion. He then served as principal of the same school from 1995 to 2005.
In 1991, he founded the Malta Jazz Festival, which he led as its artistic director until 2005. This earned him the title "Malta's father of Jazz." He received a lifetime achievement award at the 2020 Arts Council Malta awards and a gold medal from the Malta Society of the Arts in 2017, in recognition of his contribution to local music.
While Gatt made his name as a musician, he was also a keen painter and formed part of local art collective 'Start'. His art installations with 'Start' included exhibitions at 'Cityspaces' in Valletta, ‘Blitz’ in Vittoriosa (2005), 'Borders' at Pinto Wharf (2004), curated by Raphael Vella, and 'Escape' at the Old Prisons in Citadel Gozo (2003), curated by Austin Camilleri. In 2013, he also participated in 'Re-Visit the Contemporary Face of Faith', curated by Vince Briffa. Gatt was also a member of the European group 'Frequenzen', which held exhibitions and workshops in Italy, South Korea, Nepal, Austria, Germany and Hungary.
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