What a wonderful world: Kenyan musicians jazzed up about jazz

Jack Muguna: The Industry is growing, just give it time. [Courtesy]

Keyboardist-singer James “Gogo” Jozee: Performed with Isaiah [Katumwa], Hugh Masekela, Jonathan Butler, Koffi Olomide, Papa Wemba, among others: “Safaricom Jazz Festival heightened awareness of the genre. The jazz culture in Kenya is funny because there are people who really love jazz and there are people who say they are jazz lovers, but they don’t know much about it.

They can go to a jazz festival and just sit there and have a drink instead of enjoying jazz. Jazz music is something that you’re supposed sit down and listen to, ‘Which chord is that? What melody is that? What are they saying?’ and things like that, but we are getting there. The [jazz] culture is growing. It’s not that strong, but we are getting somewhere.”

Drummer Amani Baya had this to says: “Jazz is basically a way of expressing oneself musically and it's quite diverse. So far, I've been challenged and inspired to even write jazz music of my own. Meeting and working with different amazing jazz musicians like Isaiah Katumwa, Nairobi Horns Project and Victor Dey Jr from Ghana has helped me understand music better, especially jazz.

My musical journey has greatly been inspired by jazz music, mostly Afro and Gospel Jazz and through the amazing musicians I've been privileged to work with or watch or hang out with. I have also been on stages I would have never imagined to be on just because of jazz and for that I am grateful. I am now able to create jazz music from my own point of knowledge and that makes my expression unique from another jazz musician.”

Bassist Ricky Nanjero on his personal experience in jazz music: “Jazz has helped me to earn and take care of my family. Jazz has also enabled me to tour the world and to be able to meet jazz greats, like bassist Victor Wooten, guitarist Mike Stern and others. Also, I have been able to express my feelings through my music and I have also been able to mentor upcoming musicians through jazz.

This way, I get to leave a legacy that lives long. Personally, I have been collecting jazz music for four decades now.  I think, even with the COVID-19-instigated lockdowns in many parts of the world, with events like these virtual jazz sessions, I believe we can all try to cheer ourselves up – to ease off our anxieties and nightmares, hopefully. Of course, it’s nothing like the real live jazz performances with audiences surrounding the performers, but it’s still captivating. The essence here is that jazz music helps to keep our spirits up."

Mackinley Musembi of Nairobi Horns Project: "The jazz industry in Kenya is still growing but of course it is now more exciting because a lot of young people have joined. More people have taken up playing instruments than before.

We aren't at the level of South Africa or the United States, but even globally, jazz is a very small market anyway unlike pop music. My whole life story is very closely tied to music. Music has made me who I am today."  

Jack Muguna: "The jazz industry in Kenya is slowly growing. Safaricom has been doing quite a good job. When Bob Collymore was around, the Safaricom Jazz Festival opened up a lot in terms of even interacting with musicians from out there.

So the industry is growing. Just give it time. Jazz music has changed my life. I can’t imagine myself without jazz music. Even from just a point of expression, to be able to write music, express energy - because music is energy. There is no better way than jazz to express this in my thinking, because jazz is a very free-form art. Anything and everything goes."