FANNY Gauthier, director of the Alliance Francaise in Harare, has promised a memorable Zimbabwe Jazz Festival 2024 which will run for two days in Bulawayo and Harare.
The festival will take place on September 20 at the Bulawayo Alliance Francaise and the following day at the Alliance Francaise in Harare.
In an interview with NewsDay Life & Style, Gauthier said the festival, which is managed by the Zimbabwe Jazz Community Trust (ZJCT) in partnership with the Alliance Francaise, will be running under the theme, Sizzling Rhythms.
Headlining the festival are two special artistes: Zimbabwe’s Paul Lunga, aka ‘King of Jazz Horns’, one of the legends of jazz history and visiting Swiss singer and songwriter NNAVY whose unique personal style is a blend of R&B, soul and jazz influences.
London-based Lunga has captivated audiences at home in Zimbabwe and around the world for over three decades. NNAVY’s powerful and emotive stage presence has captivated audiences widely including at prestigious festivals such as the Montreux Jazz Festival and Jazz à Vienne and now graces the Zimbabwe jazz stage in both Bulawayo and Harare — courtesy of the embassy of Switzerland in Zimbabwe.
“The festival kicks off in Bulawayo on Friday September 20, hosted by Alliance Francaise de Bulawayo at 61 Heyman Road from 6pm to 10pm with an exciting lineup of Paul Lunga, NNAVY, George Phahlane and Ngoma iNgoma. The Harare event on September 21 offers a solid eight hours of great music from 2pm to 10pm, featuring Lunga, NNAVY, Prudence Katomeni-Mbofana, Agga Nyabinde, Rhythmic Pulse, Steve Chikotie and the Hellenic Academy Big Band. The event will be hosted by Alliance Francaise de Harare at 328 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare,” said Gauthier.
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The fees for the Harare and Bulawayo editions will be US$10 and US$20, respectively.
The ZJCT initiative is steered by a committee which comprises jazz artistes and jazz-lovers who aim to revive, promote and preserve the jazz culture in Zimbabwe, providing quality entertainment and education, thus culturally enriching the country.
Established in 2016, the Trust set out to stage a series of high quality jazz performances, featuring well-known and up-and-coming local jazz artistes.
ZJCT founder and artistic director, Filbert Marova, said each year their organisation embarked on a meticulous search of identifying the most exceptional artistes who have demonstrated remarkable growth in their competencies as performers and composers of jazz music.
“For international artistes, we were particularly drawn to Paul Lunga, a UK-based Zimbabwean trumpeter whose contribution to the jazz industry is nothing short of being phenomenal. The Swiss singer NNAVY also captured our attention with her meteoric rise in the past year. Ultimately, our artiste selection is driven by a fervent passion for diversity and innovation within the jazz genre. We've meticulously curated a line-up that celebrates both established and emerging talents, ensuring a rich tapestry of sounds and styles that resonate with the heart of Zimbabwe's vibrant jazz scene,” Marova said.
ZJCT chairperson Robert Basvi expressed gratitude to their loyal sponsors and donors who have been consistent in funding the annual Zimbabwe Jazz festival, in particular the French embassy, the Alliance Francaise Harare, Alliance Francaise Bulawayo and The embassy of Switzerland in Zimbabwe.