Jazz fest to remember

And because the concert was a huge success, organisers took the opportunity to announce that another jazz festival would be held in Victoria Falls on Christmas Day. This is going to be a two-horse race between legendary South African trumpeter, Hugh Masekela and Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi.
Someone could have described the concert as for the discerning jazz connoisseurs, but what this goes to show is that Zimbabwe has capable hands and minds to organise world-class shows successfully.
While some local music promoters are notorious for organising shows that end up being major flops and embarrassments, the Harare Jazz Festival, in its second year running now, has proved the festival is poised for greater moments, if not to the proportions of the Harare International Festival of the Arts.
The inaugural festival, which was held at Celebration Centre in Harare in June last year, was also a huge success with exciting performances from mainly local musicians.
The inaugural festival, which was held at Celebration Centre in Harare in June last year, was also a huge success with exciting performances from mainly local musicians. The audience was treated to the electrifying performances from Jimmy Dludlu, Kunle Ayo, Judith Sephuma, Dudu Manhenga, Prudence Katomeni Mbofana, Ernie Smith, Kudzai Sevenzo and Rute Mbangwa.
This year’s festival publicist, Shepherd Mutamba, said the concert was sold out. There were 200 tables up for takes each with a seating for 10, which means over 2 000 people were in attendance since many other people chose to come individually than buying a table.
A table of 10 was going US$500.
As had been advertised, the concert kicked off at 4pm last Saturday with Tuku doing the grand opening.
However, this year’s show will be credited for being a show of truly African legends. All the names on the line-up were artists who have been in the industry since time immemorial and who are of international acclaim. The only new group to Zimbabwewas the Silvia Manco Quartet from Italy. The group was brought in courtesy of the Italian embassy.
Cool Crooners and Mbare Trio were also there to the delight of the massive crowd that kept on growing even after 8pm when the show was about half-way. Jazz Invitation performed next.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo, which is as old as the music itself, showed the crowd that their voice had just but matured with time.
The closing act, Hugh Masekela, rocked the packed marquee with his timeless music including the revolutionary song Stimela.
After the Saturday performance, the festival was taken to the masses in Highfield for a free family show at the historic Mushandirapamwe Hotel gardens where Q-Montana, Too Open, Mokoomba, The Other Four, AY Band and So What performed. Mutamba described it as hugely a success though it started a bit late.
He said that the hotel management acknowledged that it was the first time since independence 30 years ago that such an event was held at the venue.
– The Financial Gazette, media partner of the Harare Jazz Festival, will be publishing a review supplement on the jazz festival in its issue of next week. All corporates and sponsors are invited to participate.