A Celebration of World Jazz Headlined by Marcus Miller

The Safaricom International Jazz Festival is hands down the biggest festival in Kenya and becoming a notable fixture on the African festival circuit. Started in 2014, Safaricom Jazz has transformed the jazz scene in Kenya, while also transforming the lives of the Ghetto Classics kids who benefit from the proceeds. I never thought that I would see all these jazz legends live in Nairobi and I basically had resigned myself to the idea that I would need to put some money aside and travel the world to catch them in concert. It’s still in my plans, but it will be more for the experience of the different festivals and cities than for the artistes, as I’ve been fortunate to see legends like David Sanborn, Dianne Reeves, the late Hugh Masekela, BWB, Richard Bona, Jimmy Dludlu, Jonathan Butler among others.

Marcus Miller is one of those artistes you know even know you don’t know them. His prolificacy has left his touch all over a lot of music in public memory. From the unforgettable ‘’Power of Love” album by the late Luther Vandross, to stunning collaborations with Miles Davis, Eric Clapton, Lalah Hathaway among others. I have been on the edge of my seat ever since he was announced as the headlining artiste for this year’s Safaricom International Jazz Festival, and it was everything I imagined it would be.

Picnic baskets and blankets in hand, we made our way to the Kasarani Stadium. Always the considerate host, Safaricom had buses from town for festival goers. They also had buses from the parking at the stadium, to the entrance. The setup was fantastic as always, with plenty of room for our blankets and a variety of stands to shop as well as to buy food and drinks for those who did not pack baskets.

Hosted by the indomitable Kavutha Mwanzia-Asiyo, the festival kicked off with the sounds of The Safaricom Youth Orchestra, a flagship project by Safaricom PLC founded in 2014, with members ranging from 10 to 17 years, that provides an opportunity for members to play in a world class ensemble. They were followed by Ghetto Classics, the flagship programme of the Art of Music Foundation and the beneficiary of the festival. It was great so see the kids up there on stage playing music and enjoying themselves. Something that was said in one of the videos that played later during the festival stayed with me. One of the kids said that he loves playing with Ghetto Classics because the audience claps, and it makes him feel good. At the base of it all, we all want to be seen, and it’s harder to be visible when you are not from privilege. It’s profound how much little acts have a big effect.


One of the wonderful things about Safaricom Jazz is the display of Kenyan jazz talent as well as international jazz acts that are not as mainstream. As the festival is supported by many countries through their embassies/high commissions, I’ve had the pleasure of discovering all these amazing jazz bands/artistes and this year was no different.

Yazmin Lacey (UK) kicked things off and honestly, her voice is stunning! She is a brilliant singer and her repertoire is reminiscent of classical soul. I love that the UK through the British Council always front upcoming female musicians for the festival. Omri Mor Trio (Israel) made up of an Israeli, an Ethiopian and an Algerian put together a beautiful set with a classical piano meets distinct sounds from the countries represented.

Toine Thys Trio (Belgium) featuring Herve Samb (Senegal), was one of my favourite performances at the festival. Lead by the talented Saxophonist, Toine Thys, the unique orchestration that includes organ and drums. The collaboration with Herve Samb was an electric one and amazing to watch.



Kato Change (Kenya) is one of the most talented and prolific artistes we have on the Kenyan scene. A self-taught guitarist that is not afraid to experiment and push boundaries, his repertoire is impressive, especially since he is still in his 20s. He brought his quartet on for the festival, as well as long-time collaborator Idd Aziz. Kicking off with “Kothbiro” a tribute to the late Ayub Ogada, his set was an unforgettable celebration of Kenyan Jazz and I am excited to experience more of his music.

Vivianne (Portugal) commanded the stage with her mesmerizing voice and exuberance. Her music is a fusion of Chanson Francaise and Latin American music. She was lovely to watch. Closing off the opening acts was Jazzrausch Big Band (Germany) and what a party they started! Their music is jazz meets dance/techno and is a revelation. I can see why they’re big on the German club scene. I can see myself flying off to Berlin to catch them.

Finally, the man we had all been waiting on got on the Safaricom Jazz stage. To say that Marcus Miller’s set was electrifying is an understatement. His music has been a travel guide to all that is beautiful in the world and his performance reflected that. Playing music from his various albums including Afrodeezia and Laid Back, it was the perfect ending for what had been a great festival.