The Bob Collymore Foundation has announced this year’s line-up for the upcoming Jazz Festival set to take place on February 24.
The festival called the BC International Jazz Festival or BCIJF in short, takes place annually with proceeds from the jazz concert going to a deserving project.
The beneficiary for the 2023/2024 calendar, is Ghetto Classics – flagship programme of the Art of Music Foundation that gives a music education to children from the Korogocho slum.
This year’s event will celebrate Africa’s growing Jazz Ecosystem, featuring an unprecedented lineup of artistes under the theme: Africa Ascend.
The second edition will continue to honour the legacy of the late Safaricom boss Bob Collymore.
“Bob strongly believed in the power of music as a tool to unite people from different backgrounds.
“He thought music could act as a catalyst to democratise the arts and erase socioeconomic barriers.
“This is why the BCIJF is keen to carry on his legacy – to build bridges and make live music accessible to more people. Each jazz festival is more than a one-off event.
“It is a continuous quest to broaden the unifying influence of music for Kenyan society,” the foundation said.
A sentiment that was echoed by Wambui Collymore at the announcement event.
“Our ambition is to honour our founder Bob Collymore’s wish to build a platform to give Africa’s revolutionary artists and musicians the opportunity to showcase their talent through curated experiences,” she said.
The line-up includes the award-winning Congolese-Belgian fusionist Syssi Mananga, Tanzanian bassist Humphrey Mubaa, East African horn ensemble Enkare Saxophone Quartet and Nairobi-based musician Samuel Mutuku.
Also performing on stage will be the Jazztified, a Kenyan jazz ensemble, the Safaricom Youth Orchestra, Ghetto Classics and DJ D-Lite.
The event will take place at the Carnivore grounds from 9 am to 6 pm.
