The memories of last weekend in the month of May are still fresh in the minds of many music lovers particularly the jazz genre. That weekend witnessed a beehive of activities at the Freedom Park Lagos, venue of this year’s edition of Lagos International Jazz Festival.
On its second edition, the jazz festival organised by Inspiro Productions led by Ayoola Sadare, featured the best of jazz artistes from across the world who converged in Lagos for the captivating music fiesta.
Modeled after Cape Town International Jazz Festival, Africa’s grandest jazz gathering’ in South Africa, and mentors of the Inspiro Productions, the festival lived up to the expectations of music enthusiasts who came from far and near to enjoy the beautiful renditions and refined tunes by gifted hands that performed at three-day event . Even the cloud was captivated by magical sounds of cymbals, saxophones, flutes, guitars and keyboards, and it held back the rains.
Positioned to be Nigeria’s premier jazz festival, the festival is designed to offer visitors in Lagos world-class entertainment, as well as, becoming a major event on the Nigerian tourism calendar that would attract jazz and contemporary music lovers to the country. The long term goal is to establish Lagos as a Jazz Tourism destination alongside cities such as Cape Town, Montreal, Montreux, New Orleans, London and others notable on the global Jazz tourism circuit calendar. It is also aimed at wooing hundreds of thousands of people that would visit each year to enjoy good music and to experience Lagos.
Though there were two days of performance on May 30 and 31, however, May 29 observed as Democracy Day in Nigeria was dedicated to master classes by the city’s leading jazz musicians including Bright Gain who taught bass, Daniel Bankole who handled Saxophone, Ini D minstrel who taught Keyboards, Ray Jehovy who showed participants how to play the drum, and an extensive music business workshop by Victor Masondo, leading South African bassist. The evening of May 29th also had musical performances at the pre-festival reception jam session and party hosted at the prestigious 1004 Estates in one of their club houses and well attended by residents who were treated to Jazz, barbecue and drinks alfresco.
Like a Tsunami, and as advertised in the media preceding the event, Jazz literally blew into town with about 50 jazz artistes and jazz related music bands playing on three stages over two nights in one venue. Freedom Park Lagos Island, Lagos’ number one cultural hotspot, was transformed into a musical wonderland. It was not the conventional setting. Three stages were set, and creatively named after past Nigerian musical legends; Fela Kuti, Steve Rhodes and Fatai Rolling Dollar. On seeing the creativity, one salutes the innovation Inspiro Production brought to bear in creating a beautiful ambience for Jazz lovers to revel in. No boring seating arrangement with one main stage, rather three beautifully designed and well lit stages were placed in strategic places, and also, a central DJ pit. Perhaps, it was a deliberate effort to give the attendees a bit of everything. Bands played simultaneously on each stage in a well orchestrated manner not disturbing
one another but causing a buzz as people moved from one stage to another trying to catch a glimpse of one act or the other. The camaraderie was infectious, a ‘high five’ here, a hug there, screams of excitement in the middle, and so on.
On the three stages, each band holding down their own made it difficult to stay glued to one stage. While one was trying to get over to Fadabasi’s performance, Femi Leye, a guitar sensation, serenaded with his guitar and Agba Joshu beckoned with his serene love sounds in the bolojo genre. Tee Mac Iseli’s performance thrilled the crowd, Nesta and his band gave the guests Jazzy reggae tunes while Adeh held the audience intrigued with his guitar, stroking the strings with such impressive gentility that made one wonder if guitar playing was that simple. Bright Gain and Victor Masondo, South African jazz bassist, displayed brilliance; Beat Kaestli delivered classic jazz standard vocals while Aduke, Tony Ogaga and a host of others were not left behind as they thrilled the audience with harmless doses of beautiful music. DJs Ray Bola Browne and Lati from their central DJ pit also played a variety of sounds from classical Jazz, old skool to naija hip-hop
gbedu. These added flavour to the entire festival.
Another credible element the organisers added was to make jazz available to all classes of people. It was not just another night for blue bloods. Even those who were unfamiliar with Jazzy sounds were able to identify the new Jazz sounds infused in other genres. This was jazz at its finest both as traditional, straight ahead, bebop, smooth, neo soul, afro, naija, Latin, indie to mention a few fusions that were on display. Art music was on the grandstand. Nigerian musicians were delivering. It probably was the first time this kind of event; available internationally, had ever been organised in Nigeria.
For both nights, people trooped out in large droves to witness this epic moment. There was no dull moment. It was with dragging feet that the guests left the show on both days till almost past midnight. They left looking forward to the next edition of the memorable jazz festival.
OBINNA EMELIKE
