Sudan: SAMA fest returns to Khartoum

The festival will be headlined by German jazz band Jin Jim and Tanzania's Masafiri Zawose. Local acts set to perform include Asim Altayeb, Zolo and traditional singer Omer Ehsas.

This year’s festival is organised by Goethe-Institut Sudan in collaboration with Institut Français and the British Council, and is centred around stringed musical instruments.

Festival director Randa Hamid told Music In Africa that the idea to hold the festival came from a need to provide an opportunity for local and international musicians to interact.

“We wanted to provide a free platform for young talented Sudanese musicians to share their passion and learn from visiting international musicians,” she said.

Hamid said the event would also include two workshops – one on the concept of contemporary jazz and the other on traditional instruments.

“A good number of talented Sudanese musicians applied for these two workshops to join our guests in exchanging music and learning from each other. This is the only way to add experience to musicians and promote Sudanese music,” she said.

The programming will start on 14 October and include an open music forum titled Sounds of Sudan. The session will be conducted by Altayeb. Ehsas and Zawose will each stage a concert on 15 October while Jin Jim will perform on 16 October. On 17 October, Zolo will perform alongside local acts selected from the workshops.

“The festival will also include the screening of the French film, Brooklyn, at the Institut Français on 18 October. The film documents the life of a girl who dreams of becoming a huge hip hop singer,” Hamid said.  

The final event will take place on 19 October at the Sudan National Theatre in Omdurman where all guest artists and workshop participants will be given an opportunity to network.

 “This particular line-up was requested by Sudanese musicians. They wanted to challenge themselves by experiencing new ideas like contemporary jazz, which doesn’t exist in Sudan. Also, they wanted to be exposed to traditional instrumental musicians,” Hamid said, adding that she hopes the festival will inspire local musicians to explore jazz and take up traditional instruments.