By Frederick Philander
WINDHOEK
The third Victoria Falls international jazz festival just across the border in Zimbabwe will once again be staged next week with musicians drawn from Europe, Africa and America, it was announced in a press statement from Rooftop Promotions in Harare.
“The third edition of this growing festival will feature jazz and gospel, divided into jazz on the first day, gospel in the afternoon of the second day and jazz late in the evening of the second day.
The venue is the five-star and world famous Elephant Hills Hotel whose spacious auditorium sits 400 people,” said promoter, Daves Ghuza.
Though still in infancy stage the Victoria Falls Jazz Festival (VFJF) has already earned its place among the sub-continent’s highly entertaining jazz showcases.
“That in 2005 jazz lovers in the southern part of Africa witnessed a debut, wholesome musical extravaganza of international standards, is attributable to the selective list of top notch jazz virtuosos mixed with promising jazz groups that graced the inaugural event.
This peculiarity continues to permeate the annual festival, as the platform is essential in nurturing young music talent,” he said.
Last year another encouraging fan base attended the festival and left with enduring satisfaction.
“Now, with temptation to our ears, we stand by for the explosion of the 2007 edition, to taunt our musical taste buds and stretch our appetites to limits never before improvised in the annals of the jazz genre, at least in this part of the world.
Throw in the mix of Gospel music dished out by anointed personalities and in line with the Christ (mass) mood, then you have no choice but be counted for the two days of real entertainment at the Seventh Wonder of the World. Here you will experience the impression that jazz is the cure for the ultimate leisure desires lurking in our souls,” Ghuza said poetically.
Do you hear the jazz beats punching the musical knocks into your ears already, imaging your leisurely presence at the Victoria Falls Jazz Festival 2007 and enjoying the last part of the year into 2008?
“The Victoria Falls Jazz Festival is organised by Creative Native (a unit of Rooftop Promotions) and Sam Mataure, who have vast previous experience with regional events such as musical shows featuring Miriam Makeba, Selaelo Selota, Ray Phiri and Louis Mhlanga. Last year, American jazz singer Max Wild, alongside Zambia’s Marsha Moyo and Botswana’s Ntshoeleng Seetso featured with Zimbabwe’s Cool Crooners, Jazz Invitation, Oliver Mtukudzi, Mandebvu Band, Philbert Marowa and Chirikure Chirikure,” he concluded.