Musician and jazz pioneer Charles Gatt, known as 'is-City', has died aged 77. 

Gatt was instrumental for the creation of the Malta Jazz Festival, and served as its musical director for 15 years.

He also led Malta’s school of music for a decade. 

Born in Zebbiegħ in August 1944, Gatt taught art between 1968 and 1975 at St Michael’s College.

He later left Malta to study at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

In 1991, he founded the Malta Jazz Festival, which he led as its artistic director until 2009.  

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 2018, in recognition of his contribution to local music. 

Gatt was married and had two daughters.