Winter jazz festival explodes

Business
BY SIMBARASHE MANHANGO With just four days to go before the Winter Jazz Festival roars into life, an exciting outreach programme that seeks to take festival events out of the main venue, Jazz 105, has been designed.

The programme will be filled with diverse performances throughout the week that are set to thrill jazz lovers.

One of the major highlights of the festival will be a commercial gig set for Friday, which is slated for City Sports Centre, an unusual venue for jazz music.This is certainly not the only revelation jazz lovers should expect however. In what is set to be the biggest surprise of the day, dancehall artist Winky D is also slated to perform.

Winky D will perform live with his band, brushing shoulders with jazz stars, including legendary musician, Oliver Mtukudzi and his true protégé Munya Mataruse.

Sulumani Chimbetu, who is also riding high with his Dendera music which was popularised by his late father Simon, will also feature at this year’s festival.He is likely to repeat his exploits at the previous edition of the Harare Jazz festival at the City Sports Centre.

He is also among the outfits that have been given the privilege to perform twice at this festival, during the commercial gig and also during the closing ceremony slated for Ochi City.

Winky D and Chimbetu will arguably add a flare to the festival with their two different and striking genres which have, in recent years, gained more popularity and appreciation in musical circles.

Urban grooves diva, Diana Samkange will also have the privilege to perform at the festival when it opens on Thursday at Jazz 105.There will also be an intriguing lineup of jazz outfits that include Jazz Invitation, Mbare Trio and the Summer Breeze on the opening day.