NIGERIA: South African maestro Hugh Masekela leads the way at the 2011 Lagos Jazz Festival

Record ID: 235454

  • Title: NIGERIA: South African maestro Hugh Masekela leads the way at the 2011 Lagos Jazz Festival
  • Date: 1st December 2011
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) OTI BAZUNU, FOUNDER, LAGOS JAZZ SERIES FOUNDER, SAYING: "We started off last year, the first time with artists from South Africa, from the Americas, from Germany."
  • Embargoed: 16th December 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Nigeria, Nigeria
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Reuters ID: LVA1MV40CRC6G1UFA3CK4I9F1Z9I
  • Story Text: The second edition of the Lagos Jazz Festival drew on the appeal of internationally renowned jazz maestro, Hugh Masekela.
    The South African jazz legend was the main act at the event, captivating audiences and wooing many to their feet.
    The festival's founder Oti Baunu said the four-day event aims to promote jazz music in Nigeria by bringing international and African artists together as well as giving jazz lovers a chance to see their favourite musicians on stage.
    "We started off last year, the first time with artists from South Africa, from the Americas, from Germany," he said.
    The festival still has a long way to go before it can match up to the prestigious Cape Town International Jazz festival held in South Africa that attracts tens of thousands of visitors every year.
    Masekela said his music is inspired by experiences of the African people as a whole.
    "The people of Africa basically are having a rough time, most of them and I come from them and the material I do, comes from them so I would be a little bit sick if I didn't talk about their difficulties, because they are my source," said Masekela.
    Nigeria has a rich history of jazz music with icons like Fela Kuti who shot to fame in the 60's playing a unique blend of jazz and traditional music he dubbed afrobeat.
    But today the country's music industry is dominated by catchy hip-pop, high-life and reggae tunes.
    Organisers of the festival would like to see jazz better appreciated by the youth.
    Younger artists performing at the festival like Efya, from Ghana, and Somi, an American based singer and songwriter were some of the acts that the festival hoped would show that jazz transcends age.
    "This is my first time. They've been here before but I wasn't here the last time so this is my first time and seeing it all come together it's been very very nice, I'm having fun," said Chioma Onwuka, a guest at the event.
    Hundreds of fans attended shows staged in four venues; some complained of poor audio during shows but most guests said they were happy with the experience.
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