Top Jazz acts to star in Safaricom event
Highly acclaimed Grammy Award winners Kirk Whalum and Norman Brown, multiple Grammy Award Nominee Gerald Albright, and fast rising jazz artist Shelea Frazier are some of the star attractions for next month’s Safaricom Jazz Lounge double treat in Nairobi and Mombasa.
The four, who will perform their widely celebrated A Gospel According to Jazz, at the Carnivore Grounds in Nairobi on December 03 before taking the show to Mombasa’s Haller Park on two days later.
Kirk Whalum is famous for touring with the late Whitney Houston for seven years and for having had a solo part in her single “I will always love you”, the best-selling single by a female artist in music history.
He will be joined on stage by equally illustrious musician Gerald Albright, a multi-instrumentalist who has sold over 1 million albums in the United States of America alone.
Completing the ensemble will be Norman Brown – famous for his work with Boyz II Men and Stevie Wonder – and Shelea Frazier, a fast-rising singer, songwriter and producer who shot into the spotlight following her widely celebrated tribute to Whitney Houston.
KENYAN JAZZ
Curtain-raising for the quartet will be Kenyan acts Edward Parseen and the Different Faces Band, and AfroSync, who have made their names in the Kenyan jazz scene thanks to their unique sounds.
“As has been the tradition with our jazz concerts, all proceeds from the Safaricom Jazz Lounge in both Nairobi and Mombasa, and the Safaricom International Jazz Festival, will go towards supporting the Korogocho-based Ghetto Classics music programme,” said Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore.
Ghetto Classics offers music education to over 300 underprivileged youth, and has so far benefitted from an estimated Ksh.12 million raised through Safaricom’s jazz music properties.
Tickets to the event went on sale on Friday 20th November, and will be retailing at Sh 1, 500 for advance tickets, Sh 2, 000 at the gate and Sh 500 for students.
The tickets will be available from select Safaricom outlets (Sarit Centre, Thika Road Mall, Galleria Mall, Junction Mall, BuruBuru, Village Market, I&M and Nakumatt Mega in Nairobi, and Nyali and Rex Shop in Mombasa).