Victoria Falls Jazz fest performers unveiled Dudu Manhenga
Louis Mhlanga

Louis Mhlanga

Leonard Ncube in Victoria Falls
ORGANISERS of the Victoria Falls International Jazz Festival have released the list of performers while the main venue has been moved from Elephant Hills Resort to Zambezi House.

The festival that begins on September 7 is making a sensational return after a decade long absence and will run for three days.

Festival coordinator, Clayton Mugabe, said the main jazz events will be on September 8 and 9 while other activities will run concurrently at different venues around the resort town.

He said the line-up for the September 8 jazz events comprises Harare-based Patrick Lupi of France, Cool Crooners of Bulawayo, Dudu Manhenga, Prudence Katomeni Mbofana, Rute Mbangwa and Nicholar Mutuwa. Joseph Chinouriri, Kunle Ayo (Nigeria), Louis Mhlanga and Steve Dyer will also perform with Victoria Falls DJ Francis completing the line-up.

Steve Dyer

Steve Dyer

The September 9 team will feature Mathew Ngorima, Mandebvu, Josh Meck and Afro Red.

Mugabe said entry to the jazz events at Zambezi House will be free but strictly by invite. Attendees will have to reserve chairs by making pre-arranged bookings. “The jazz shows at Zambezi House will start at midday ending at 6PM. The two-day events will be strictly by invite as we want a mature and controllable crowd.

“While it’ll be free of charge, people will have to book tables and chairs in advance because we’ll limit numbers,” said Mugabe.

He said the idea behind the festival was not to raise money, but to launch the event and sell the idea to sponsors for future editions. This means that in the coming years, jazz lovers will have to pay to attend all of the festival’s events.

Other than Zambezi House, performances at the festival at venues – Victoria Falls Hotel and Invuvu Rest Camp – will cut across all genres including House, Zimdancehall, Gospel and Contemporary Afro-pop. Performers will be drawn from Lesotho, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, France, Italy and USA. These performers are yet to be unveiled.

Dudu Manhenga

Dudu Manhenga

The festival will, however, kick off with a cocktail on September 6 with Jabavu Drive being the main act. An awards dinner where sensational South African music icon, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, will be the guest of honour will be held at the Victoria Falls Hotel on September 7.

A number of high profile individuals are lined up to speak at the awards ceremony where pioneers of jazz music namely living legend Dorothy Masuka, Zex Manatsa, the late Green Jangano (Harare Mambos) and August Musarurwa will be honoured. Jabavu Drive, Mbare Trio and USA’s Oran Etkin and Chigamba Family will entertain guests at the awards dinner.

@ncubeleon

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