Leading Integrated Service provider Safaricom announced the line-up of local and international artists scheduled to perform at the Safaricom International Jazz Festival slated for 23rd February 2014 at the Jockey Club, Ngong Race Course Nairobi.
Cameroonian jazz bassist RICHARD BONA will lead a rich repertoire of artists that will include Rhythm Junks, The Nile Project and Yuval Cohen who will be joined on stage by Kenya’s own Kavutha and Jacob Asiyo, Aaron “Crucial Keys” Rimbui, Chris Bittok and Eddie Grey.
Speaking during the unveiling of the artistes’ lineup, Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore said, “Through the provision of this platform for a rich, timeless genre of music, we are reaffirming our commitment of developing the arts industry in Kenya.”
Young, up and coming talent such as gifted trumpeter Christine Kamau, guitarist Kato Change and Ugandan wonder boy saxophonist Brian Mugenyi will also get a chance to shine during the extravaganza that is set to change the jazz music industry in the country.
The jazz festival will ride on the success of Safaricom Kenya Classical Fusion and the Niko Na Safaricom Live concerts.
Proceeds from the concert will go towards purchase of music instruments for the Ghetto Classics programme, a community programme that involves 300 children in Korogocho slums.
The Ghetto Classics programme uses music education to instil life skills in the youth from the slums through discipline that comes with studying and rehearsing music. It runs a brass band that trains every week.
It is this band that will be equipped in order for more students from the slum to join the music classes.
“We are excited to be part of this noble initiative that will give us a chance to showcase our culture through the Rhythm Junks band that is coming in to the country for the Jazz Festival,” said Bart Ouvry, the Belgian Ambassador to Kenya.
Other sponsors of the festival include Embassy of Israel, General Motors, Kenya Airways and KLM, HIVOS, Mo Sound Events, General Motors, Colour Print Limited and Hotel Villa Rosa Kempinski.
The concert will be open to Kenyans from all walks of life that will get a chance to sample the timeless music that is Jazz. Sale of tickets to the concert has already opened.