Five-Time Grammy Winner Dianne Reeves to Headline Safaricom Jazz Lounge 2018 Edition

Kenyan Jazz lovers are in for a treat following confirmation that globally acclaimed American Jazz performer Dianne Reeves will grace the stage at the Safaricom Jazz Lounge scheduled for 18^th to 20^th October 2018.

This will be the five-time Grammy winner’s first visit to Kenya to perform at the Safaricom Jazz Lounge, which is one of a series of events that lead up to the annual Safaricom International Jazz Festival that takes place in February.

Reeves, the pre-eminent jazz vocalist in the world, received the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Performance for three consecutive recordings – a Grammy first in any vocal category. Featured in George Clooney’s six-time Academy Award nominated “Good Night, and Good Luck,” she won the Best Jazz Vocal Grammy for the film’s soundtrack.

This year’s Safaricom Jazz lounge will feature an additional show at the Hell’s Gate National Park in Naivasha on Mashujaa Day on 20^th October. This will be in addition to the Nairobi show which will be taking place two days earlier at Uhuru Gardens and Dianne Reeves will headline both shows. The Naivasha show will also feature an upcoming Kenyan band, AdHoc. At Uhuru Gardens, Reeves will be backed by Italy’s Double Cut band and Kenyan guitarist Kato Change.

For the Naivasha concert, Safaricom has partnered with Enashipai Resort to give fans a chance to attend the concert at affordable rates.

The first edition of the Safaricom International Jazz Festival was held in February 2014 and was headlined by New-York based Cameroonian artist Richard Bona. Since then jazz legends such as Jonathan Butler, David Sanborn, BWB, Hugh Masekela among others have graced the stage.

Proceeds from all ticket sales will be donated to the Ghetto Classics music programme, which has been the Safaricom Jazz beneficiary since 2014 and has so far received an estimated KES 60 million, funds that have benefitted over 1,400 children from Nairobi and Mombasa. Proceeds from the 2018/2019 Edition will see the Ghetto Classics Schools programme extend to Kisumu.

Tickets are Ksh 2,000 for adults and Ksh 500 for students and are available at The Michael Joseph Centre, Safaricom shops and via M-Ticketing by dialing 1511.