Thursday 30 August 2018

Lilongwe Jazz Festival Kick-start On Friday 31stAugust-1st September

Beginning this Friday, Malawi music lovers will welcome a new music concert, the Lilongwe Jazz Festival (LJF) which promises to become ana annualevent that will be offering finest local jazz music experience.


LJF will kick-start at Lilongwe Golf Club on Friday, 31st August to Saturday, 1st September 2018 with performances from a number of renowned local jazz bands and local artists who have made their name both at local and international music level.

Performances will consists of bands and individual performers in vocal, guitars, saxophone and piano maestros and solid bands offering different genres of jazz, from traditional, jazz funk, smooth jazz and ethno and afro Jazz.

Some of the artist and bands on the line-up include; an internationally acclaimed Jazz producer and guitarist, Eric Paliani; the prominent and most sought saxophone players in Malawi, Dan Sibale; a veteran musician, Owen Mbilizi; the all-time maestro guitarist, Lulu; ethno musician, Waliko; TJ and Spare fingers; Mibawa band and the Lusubilo band from Karonga.

Owen Mbilizi
Owen Mbilizi


“We are all in camps getting ready for the performances.” Owen Mbilizi a renowned jazz artists confirmed on Wednesday during a media briefing

“Our fans are going to get the best from us. And everyone is working hard to ensure that everything should be in order musically. We want our fest time event to be the best” assured Mbilizi who added that all artists are very much determined to make LJF an international event through best performances.

Front Left to right: Allan Chidzanja,
Eric Paliani, Dan Sibale, Owen Mbilizi

One of the organisers for the LJF, Allan Chidzanja, said apart from renowned bands and musicians, performances will also include some youngsters who have been trained by the finest local jazz musicians and the students’ bands from Bishop Mackenzie and Kamuzu Academy.

On this, talented Saxophonist, Dan Sibali, explained that LJF is offering such a big platform to the youngsters as a way of nurturing jazz skills so that a lot of youths should make a breakthrough in jazz music and work anywhere.

“On Saturday morning there will be Jazz Appreciation Workshop for all interested youngsters. We are encouraging parents to bring their children to this session where children will be introduced to jazz music and learn basic skills of playing music instruments. And, LJF team together with different music schools including the Music Crossroads will be assessing music interests of each child and offer guidance to their parents on kind of music school to send their child and type of music instruments to buy for their child.” Added Mbilizi

Mbilizi also indicated that there will be no international artists on the line-up saying "this being the first time, we want to do this by ourselves (local artists only), therefore we are keeping it local for now”

Added Sibali; “we just want to let people know that there is Jazz in Malawi.”

Friday performances will begin in the evening and end at mid night while the Saturday performances will begin from morning till late.

Patrons are expected to pay a fee of K2500 each day and there will be a VIP section.

LJF will be a family day out event, and organisers have since promised that patrons to expect availability of enough security and availability of different merchandise including food and drinks.

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