Paheja Siririka
WINDHOEK – The Independence Stadium in Olympia was filled with jazz fanatics as they came to watch one of the most anticipated events on the Namibian musical calendar.
The festival hosted by the City of Windhoek was the 8th edition of the annual event and was headlined by South Africa’s Yvonne Chaka Chaka and afro-soul singer Vusi Nova, who were the last performers before the show ended on Sunday morning at exactly 00:30.
Yvonne Chaka Chaka who prefers to be called Mama made the last hours of the day more special by performing in the crowd. The Thank You Mr DJ hitmaker got off the stage and started singing among the crowd. She also used the opportunity to apologise for the xenophobic attacks that recently happened in South Africa and triggered other nationals to retaliate.
Fans were ecstatic that Yvonne Chaka Chaka got off the stage and came close to them. “I was over the moon that a person who I grew up watching was right there in front of me, I couldn’t contain myself, had to go in for that hug while she was singing, ” said one of the festival-goers after the show.
The festival was hosted by Che and Chops who kept the crowd busy from 12h00 by giving out some prizes to lucky winners who entered the competition before the start of the show.
Jazz fans moved no inch while it was drizzling; they sat idle with their camping chairs and cooler boxes and some with umbrellas. There was order, from the entrance to the exit.
The main acts were supported by local and international acts which included Allister and the Swingers Jazz Band, Rose Black, FuJazz Band, William Peterson, Sean K, Dan Shout Quarters and The Ugly Creatures.
Chart-topping singer/songwriter Garth Taylor and Portuguese jazz artist Cicero Lee put up some great performances.
A memorable and teary moment of the night was when the FuJazz Band was performing; they brought the national anthem composer Axali Doeseb on stage. “We want to appreciate this gentleman who is the composer of our country’s national anthem,” said the lead singer of the band, who called Doeseb on stage while walking with crutches.
The festival went smooth from the beginning to the end; no glitches were visible apart from the usual complaints about of long queues when getting food or drinks.