Jazz lovers can expect a double shot of musical bliss after the Johnnie Walker Jazz and Soul Safari announced it will hold two separate events this year as it amps up the fun for its eleventh edition. This latest change will see the hitherto annual event split into the Johnnie Walker Jazz Safari in June followed by the Johnnie Walker Soul Safari in December.
The Johnnie Walker Jazz Safari will take place on Saturday June 30, 2018, and if the thought of humming along to a Grammy Award winner`s jazz ballads over the radio is enthralling, Johnnie Walker is making it a reality by bringing you American jazz bassist Richard Bona live on stage at the Speke Resort Munyonyo.
With more than 10 albums and a world tour under his belt, Bona brings a rich heritage of jazz music that puts him up there with the best in the business. Once described by the Los Angeles Times as “an artist with Jaco Pastorious’s virtuosity, George Benson’s vocal fluidity, Joao Gilberto’s sense of song and harmony, all mixed up with African culture,” the 50-year-old has it all.
“Richard Bona is a proven world class act that has consistently performed at the top for years now. He is the kind of talent you do not get to see every day so we are more than delighted to be part of his show in Uganda,” said Roger Agamba, International Spirits Brand Manager at Uganda Breweries Limited.
Joining the American star on the same stage will be the cream of local jazz music, including names like Kaz Kasozi, BlackRoots UNLIMITED featuring TShaka Mayanja, Michael Kitanda, Tony Trumpet and Aloysious Migadde.
“Uganda’s premier jazz offering this year is about doubling the fun for jazz lovers, which is why we are doing two separate festivals,” said Jazz Safari founder TShaka Mayanja. “With Bona performing you can be sure it is going to be absolutely riveting.”
Tickets to the Johnnie Walker Jazz Safari will go for Shs130,000 for individuals while a table of 10 will be available for Shs3m. The Johnnie Walker Jazz Safari partners include Stanbic Bank, Guvnor, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, NBS TV, Pepsi, Jazz FM, FEZAH and Speke Resort Munyonyo.
Cathy Adengo, Stanbic Bank’s Head Corporate Communications said, “Stanbic has been a long-term partner of the Johnnie Walker Jazz and Soul Safari and we proud to be supporting an incredible event that brings us the joy of Jazz and is true passion point that connects people.
“We take pride in being the financial partner of the Johnnie Walker Jazz Safari Concert by providing a seamless payment system for fans to access tickets. Jazz fans who use their Stanbic Visa card or any other Visa and Mastercard cards to pay for their Gold tickets will automatically get discounted tickets from Shs130,000 to Shs100,000 using the Stanbic POS. Tickets can be accessed at Game Lugogo, Shoprite Acacia Mall or Sheraton House of Walker.”
The Jazz Safari has since 2011 supported the Rotary Clubs of Uganda for causes in farming, breast cancer and starting last year, a project at Kampala School for the Physically Handicapped. This term, through friends and partners in England, Disc Manufacturing Services, a new specialist ICT center, complete with specialised equipment for disabled children, and valued at £50,000 (about Shs250m) is being set up at the school.
