April date for Lagos
International Jazz Festival
By Sun News Publishing
Saturday,
March 15, 2008
Come April, Nigeria will join the league of host countries
of international jazz festivals like South Africa, German,
United Kingdom, United States and several others as Inspiro
Productions debuts with the Lagos International Jazz Festival.
According to Ayoola Shadare, CEO, Inspiro, the show will take
place at the new event and lifestyle centre, STUDIO 868 in
Victoria Island, Lagos.
The week long festival organised by Inspiro Productions in
partnership with esp Afrika, Cape Town (organisers of the
annual Cape Town International Jazz Festival, South Africa),
is expected to have not less than 20 jazz bands both home
based and international performing simultaneously on two stages.
The theme of the festival is “Jazz … Music of
Change and Possibilities” which Inspiro says is appropriate
as Lagos and Nigeria go through positive changes in their
social, political and economic spheres.
In addition to two days of performance, there are five more
days dedicated to capacity building programmes like music
workshops for schools, music business management workshops,
photo/arts exhibitions and master classes which are designed
to help develop skills in these sectors in the Nigerian music
industry.
Already plans are in top gear to ensure the successful hosting
of the maiden edition with sponsorship and production agreements
with various organisations being tidied up.
“The Lagos International Jazz festival as other global
festivals like the Cape Town International Jazz Festival,
London Jazz Festival etc will help deepen the tourism and
cultural realities of Lagos, which as a city is far too important
and strategic to be without a jazz festival. Lagos has the
brand name, fame and numbers.
“The mega-city is also a great entry point for tourism,
culturally diverse, representative and simply rocks! In Lagos
alone, there are over 40 active jazz and jazz related music
bands and our challenge is not only to have them all participate
in this festival but also to promote them to the global stage.
Our jazz artistes are world class, can play on any international
stage and will eventually do so. The inclusion of capacity
building programmes in the festival is part of our company’s
corporate social responsibility.”
The line-up of artistes to perform at the festival will be
released in the weeks preceding the event.
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