The second edition of the Zimbabwe Jazz Festival is set for the 12th of October 2019 at the ceremonial home of jazz, Alliance Francaise and will be themed ‘Jazz in Harare’.
This second edition comes 2 years after the launch of the Festival in 2017. The Zimbabwe Jazz Community Trust says this year’s edition of the Zimbabwe Jazz Festival is poised to be a powerful reflection of the growth and development of jazz in the country.
The Zimbabwe Jazz Community Trust confirmed the developments in a statement.“This year’s festival, which is powered by the French Embassy, will take place at the ‘home of jazz’ in Harare, The Alliance Francaise. It will be themed Jazz in Harare and performances would run from 2 pm to 10 pm,” the Trust said.
“Unlike the first edition which saw performances being staged by Harare-based acts only, this year we will be bringing in two bands from the City of Queens and Kings, Bulawayo, and one from Gweru.“These are the legendary Cool Crooners and one of the most sought-after groups from the south, The Outfit, as well as the 2017 Chibuku Road to Fame winners, The Travellers [Gweru].“Harare acts will spice things up as fathers and sons clash on the big stage.
“In an epic display of genetic artistry, three fathers are to share the stage with their sons,” said the statement.
Pianist par excellence Filbert Marowa and his son Tafadzwa Marowa back to back with Nonny; guitar wizard Mono and his accomplice Taka Mukundu, as well as Bob Nyabinde and Sons, will battle for honors on the day. Other acts set to perform on the day include Tanga wekwa Sando, Dudu Manhenga, Masa and Patience Musa with Cynergy.
The organizers also indicated that there will be a new addition to this year’s edition in the form of jazz workshops.
“Since 2016 when the Zimbabwe Jazz Community Trust started hosting the weekly Back 2 Jazzics sessions, a popular Sunday live music event in Harare, we have discovered that while the perception is that jazz is dead in Zimbabwe, the opposite is true,” said Marowa, who is the founder of the Zimbabwe Jazz Community Trust.“Each week we host various artists who all have unique styles. Most of these are young budding talents and we believe they need the opportunity to share ideas as regards how to develop their craft, cultivate audiences and other key elements to further their longevity in jazz. It is for this reason that we decided to hold these workshops.”
The workshops would be facilitated by Marowa and Ethiopia-based saxophonist Tinashe “Sunny” Mukarati and would be run from 1:30 pm to 5 pm at the Alliance Francaise’ Old Mutual Theatre.