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Lagos hosts maiden jazz festival

By Akeem Lasisi

The maiden edition of the Lagos International Jazz Festival will be held in April 2008 at the event and lifestyle centre, Studio 868 on Victoria Island.

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The festival, a weeklong event, is organised by Inspiro Productions, Lagos and esp Afrika, Cape Town.

Esp Afrika is the organiser of the annual Cape Town International Jazz Festival in South Africa.

The maiden edition of the Lagos Jazz Festival will feature not less than 20 jazz bands, both home and foreign-based.

The theme of the festival is, “Jazz: Music of change and possibilities”. Justifying the theme, the organisers said, “It is appropriate as Lagos and Nigeria go through positive changes in her social, political and economic spheres.”

In addition to a two-day performance, five days will be dedicated to capacity-building programmes such as workshops for schools, music business management, photo/arts exhibition and master classes, which develop skills of people in the Nigerian music industry.

According to the organisers, plans are in top gear to ensure the successful hosting of the festival. They said sponsorship and production agreements had been concluded.

The Festival Director, Inspiro Chief Executive Officer, Ayoola Sadare, in a statement in Lagos, said, “The Lagos International Jazz festival as other global festivals like the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, London Jazz Festival and others would help deepen the tourism and cultural realities of the host state. Lagos, as a city that is far too important and strategic to be without a Jazz festival.

“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 to promote them to the global stage. Our Jazz artistes are world class. They can play on any international stage and will eventually do so.”