Online Reporter
Mbulelo Mpofu
Zimpapers Arts & Entertainment Hub
THE countdown is on!
The Zimbabwe Jazz Festival 2025 is likely to be a grand event – promising a sizzling cocktail of home-grown legends and world-class jazz masters.
Set for Friday and Saturday in Bulawayo and Harare, the festival marks its eighth edition in the capital and fourth in the City of Kings, continuing its mission to celebrate Zimbabwe’s rich jazz heritage while embracing global creativity.
The festival will get underway in Bulawayo at Alliance Française with an impressive roster of acts.
Dudu Manhenga, the award-winning Afro-jazz musician and Vee Mukarati, the internationally acclaimed saxophonist making waves in Europe, will be returning home to perform at the event.
The Frank Salis Experience, a powerful cross-continental ensemble led by Swiss composer Frank Salis, is promising a bold mix of sounds.
The Tich Makalisa Band, featuring Zimbabwean and South African talent, will round off the night with vibrant township jazz.
In Harare, it will be an eight-hour jazz marathon on Saturday 13 at Alliance Française.
The event, which starts at 2pm, will feature Mukarati, The Frank Salis Experience, bass virtuoso Josh Meck, genre-bending vocalist Rute Mbangwa, Afro-fusion pioneer Charles “Mahlaba” Banda (Sunduza), township jazz custodians Mbare Jazz, and rising star NokuTenda with The Legacy Band.
A key highlight this year is the “Frank Salis Experience – The Zambezi Sessions,” a groundbreaking cultural exchange project.
Salis will lead a five-member ensemble from Zimbabwe, Zambia, Switzerland, Italy, and the
United States on a two-week Southern African tour, performing in Lusaka and Victoria Falls before headlining the Zimbabwe Jazz Festival in Bulawayo and Harare.
ZJCT artistic director Filbert Marova said the festival remains committed to innovation and heritage.
“The 2025 Zimbabwe Jazz Festival is a vibrant celebration of music’s power to connect us. This year’s programme blends deep-rooted jazz traditions with forward-thinking creativity, honouring the past while shaping the future.”
Alliance Française Harare director Fanny Gauthier highlighted the event’s cultural significance.
“This festival builds bridges between cultures through jazz – a universal language of dialogue and creativity. We are proud to support cross-border collaborations such as The Zambezi Sessions.”
Her Bulawayo counterpart, Guillaume Ripaud, said the city’s chapter continues to grow.
“This fourth edition proves the festival is gaining international recognition.
Alliance Française de Bulawayo aims to be a hub for artists from the City of Kings and beyond, and this event underscores that mission.”
Founded in 2016, ZJCT is led by jazz enthusiasts and artists dedicated to preserving Zimbabwean jazz culture.
Last year’s edition, dubbed “Sizzling Rhythms”, featured UK-based Zimbabwean musician
Paul Lunga and Swiss vocalist NNAVY.
The 2025 event aims to build upon that legacy, positioning Zimbabwe as a hub for jazz innovation and cultural exchange.
