Zim Jazz Festival returns, announces line-up

The event, which was launched in 2017, will run under the theme Jazz in Harare.

Confirmed artists include the Cool Crooners, The Travellers, Filbert Marova and son Tafadzwa, Mono, Taka Mukundu, Bob Nyabinde & Sons as well as Tanga Wekwa Sando, Dudu Manhenga, Masa and Patience Musa.

“This second edition comes two years after the launch of the festival in 2017 and is poised to be a powerful reflection of the growth and development of jazz in Zimbabwe,” festival organisers the Zimbabwe Jazz Community Trust said.

The festival will also host workshops at Alliance Française's Old Mutual Theatre on 9 October.

“A new addition to this second staging of the festival are jazz workshops," the trust said. "Since 2016 we have discovered that while the perception is that jazz is dead in Zimbabwe, the opposite is true.

"Each week we host various artists who all have unique styles and most of these are young, budding talents and we believe they need the opportunity to share ideas regarding 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 will be facilitated by pianist and mentor Filbert Marova and Addis Ababa-based saxophonist Tinashe ‘Sunny’ Mukarati. The sessions will feature demonstrations and instruction by some of the finest instrumentalists in the country including Carlton Muparutsa and Josh Meck.”

The trust paid tribute to its partners: “We are grateful to our sponsors, the French embassy, for partnering with us in producing the second edition of the Zimbabwe Jazz Festival. Over the years they have shown unwavering commitment to supporting Zimbabwe's creative and cultural sector. They have also gone all out to support the country in various other sectors and we look forward to continuing to work with them.”