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The festival will be held at the ceremonial home of jazz music, Jazz 105 in Harare and in Chinhoyi.
Running under the theme “Jazz is not a state of mind; it is a fact of life!” the festival will also provide a platform for veteran and budding artistes to exchange notes.
In an interview, the director and founder of the Winter Jazz Festival, Josh Hozheri said as the festival was running its 13th edition, he was delighted that it had grown bigger and better over the years.
“This year’s festival is the 13th instalment of the jazz festival which runs annually during the winter season and we are delighted to be celebrating 13 years of excellence and maturity and as such we will be featuring some of the country’s top artistes,” said Hozheri.
Artistes and groups confirmed for the event are Jazz Invitation, Mbare Trio, Summer Breeze, Jean Masters, Cool Crooners, Prudence Katomeni-Mbofana, Edith We Utonga, Dudu Manhenga, and Victor Kunonga.
Up-and-coming artistes who are set to rub shoulders with stalwarts of jazz are Josh Meki, Too Open, Jabavu Drive, Munyaradzi Mataruse and Que Montana.
South Africa-based Zimbabwean Maxwell Vidima will headline this year’s edition and will perform on 28 July. This will be Vidima’s debut appearance at the festival after a very long absence from the local music scene. Hozheri said there will be guest performances from Amara Brown, Sulumani Chimbetu and Jah Prayzah. “We will have Amara, daughter to late music sensation Andy Brown, making her debut performance in memory of her late father and Sulu who will be presenting his catalogue in jazz style.
“Jah Prayzah is coming to break monotony. We roped in Jah Prayzah because he is a regular performer at the joint,” said Hozheri.
He said a free concert will be held on the fifth day of the event and it will be a jam session.
The Winter Jazz Festival is an annual fete that seeks to bring together veteran and budding artistes from the country and beyond. Last year, Bulawayo’s jazz crooner Jeys Marabini was presented with an acoustic guitar by the Harare business community for being an outstanding musician.
Online Reporter