Kenyan Jazz Stars Shine At Fete; To Join Grammy Winners On Stage

Safaricom unveiled the Kenyan jazz bands that will curtain raise for Grammy Award Winners Kirk Whalum and Norman Albright, as well as multiple Grammy Award Nominee Gerald Albright and upcoming star Shelea Frazier at the December edition of the Safaricom Jazz Lounge.

Edward Parseen & The Different Faces Band, and AfroSync, are expected to perform alongside the internationally acclaimed artists on 3rd and 5th December in Nairobi.

The two bands were unveiled during the Safaricom Night of Kenyan Jazz, an intimate concert held at the Michael Joseph Centre to kick off a round of events that will take place before the main Safaricom International Jazz Festival set for February 2016.

Speaking during the event Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore was enthusiastic about the ability of the two groups to hold their own alongside the jazz greats, saying the Safaricom Jazz Lounge was created to celebrate local talent.

“Since we launched the Safaricom International Jazz Festival in 2014 we’ve seen an overwhelming desire for events that celebrate our own local jazz talent, and that give our entertainers a chance to perform alongside some of the great international music legends of our time,” said Mr. Collymore.

“The performances by AfroSync and Edward Parseen and the Different Faces Band gave our audience a glimpse into the electric performances we can expect at the Safaricom Jazz Lounge in December, where some of jazz music’s most celebrated musicians will perform their highly acclaimed production: A Gospel According to Jazz,”

Joining the two curtain raisers on stage were Sahili Family, a Christian band that performs smooth Jazz and Blues, Fyuz’d Band, a quartet that specializes in Acid, Lounge and Contemporary Jazz, Shamsi Music and Scott the Violinist.

The bands were selected following auditions held at the Michael Joseph Centre earlier “We want to give more local jazz artists a platform to give Kenyans a taste of their music, and there is no better platform than the Safaricom Jazz Lounge and Safaricom International Jazz Festival,” added Mr. Collymore.

The concert comes barely three months after music lovers were treated to a world class jazz and Afro-pop experience by African music legend Salif Keita, during the Safaricom Jazz Lounge held at the Bomas of Kenya, in August.

All proceeds from the Safaricom Jazz Lounge will go towards supporting Ghetto Classics, a music programme based in Korogocho Slums that seeks to provide an opportunity for children from underprivileged backgrounds to explore their musical Tickets to the Safaricom Jazz Lounge go on sale on Friday 20th November, and will be retailing at Ksh.1,500 for advance tickets, Ksh.2,000 at the gate and Ksh.500 for students.

They will be available from select Safaricom outlets (Sarit Centre, Thika Road Mall, Galleria Mall, Junction Mall, BuruBuru, Village Market, I&M and Nakumatt Mega in Nairobi, and Nyali and Rex Shop in Mombasa).