Robert Kalumba
5 October 2008
One of the latest interests for Kampalans happens to be Jazz. From home-grown jazz artistes like Pragmo and Isaiah Katumwa to international jazz artistes like Joachim Schonecker, Kampala is enjoying a jazz renaissance of sorts. And this weekend, for the first time in Uganda, there will be a two-day Jazz Festival.
The Warid Kampala International Jazz Festival will be held at Speke Resort Munyonyo between October 10th and 12th. The Festival will attract jazz luminaries like the Third World Love from Israel, Oliver "Tuku" Mtukudzi from Zimbabwe, whose music genre is World Music and the Grammy Award winning Afro Beat queen Miriam Makeba.
The Ugandan performers on the bill include the saxophonist Isaiah Katumwa, Baxmba Waves, Joel Sebunjo, the Sundiata Band and Soul Beat Africa. The revellers who will have to part with Shs20,000 per day (Shs35,000 for two days) and Shs150,000 for a VIP ticket for one day (Shs250,000 for two days), will enjoy all night long jam sessions, which for a jazz lover (and those simply looking for a fun time), is a weekend well spent. Warid Telecom and Uganda Breweries are some of the organisers and they have promised to spare nothing in having a perfect start to what is to become an annual event.
Jazz festivals on the continent have been part of the African entertainment calendar for some time now, with South Africa having some of the best jazz festivals in the continent. The Cape Town Jazz Festival is now according to music festival website melodytrip, ranked among the best jazz festivals in the world.
Our neighbours Kenya too have great Jazz festivals, with the likes of the annual Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival and Kijani Music Festival. With Uganda now taking its first steps in what other African countries have been enjoying, one hopes the festival will match the hype, and, will become Uganda's own contribution to jazz festivals.
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