LATE THOUGHTS: Jabulani Jazz Festival is many things we want it to be

So when I was a wee-lad (picking some Scottish-ism after the whole awesome Maggie Chapman thing), one of my favourite songs was from PJ Powers, called Jabulani.

The song gave a sense of life, breathing, essence and connected. It encouraged us to sing, dance, hold hands, even in the rain, even to be made to feel strong.

When the Jabulani Jazz Festival debuted at Cresta Lodge in Harare, two weeks, it wasn’t quite in the rain, but the new piece of entertainment real estate by Nhoma NeHosho, delivered happiness.

The young cast, Taka Nemachinda, Mimmie Tarukwana and Sylent Nqo, showed that the respect for the art form exists, strongly at that, in a generation sneered at because of their age as well perceived inability to taste the pure. Jazz is alive and it has these little superheroes.

Taka Nemachinda were first, after the suit stuff, a speech by National Arts Council of Zimbabwe director Nicholas Moyo, which exuded with potent emotion and excitement about the festival. He was hanging out co-founding Executive Director of the Culture Fund of Zimbabwe, Farai Mpfunya and Mbira Centre founder Albert Chimedza. So he was in good company to, as the colloquial would say, know what’s what.

The youthful band, regaled sounds like they always existed, excited and enthused. There is nothing as exciting as seeing what is possibly a group of otakus, obsessed with delivering a good show.

Next up was the pint-sized, aesthetically appealing Mimmie Tarukwana. For someone who has a brother in prominent space (Asaph), she has developed her own sphere of influence, and watching her, you understand why. She didn’t belt notes. She placed them carefully, one on top of the other, beautifully stacked for experience. In her band, playing the guitar, was Mokoomba’s Trust Samende which is either one of two things. You are either in good hands, or could be intimidated working with someone of such pedigree. Mimmie, settled well.

Finally, we had the champion guitarist, Sylent Nqo, a master of his craft, who simply gets better every time you see him. Many never saw him much as a leading man for a band, but he has taken on that mantle with such command, you find it hard to think of him in any other way. And for jazz, his fingers delivered a tapestry of sound. It was fun.

So the youth in the jazz, the musical ability, the commitment to time and an intimate crowd, key elements for an experience in the genre.

Add to that, Ngoma NeHosho head honcho, Walter Wanyanya, freely dishing out bags of advice to artists after their shows, admonishing them where needed.

We look forward to more. Maybe with fire places, because, yeah, it was a bit cold. The music was great, but the weather had you feeling weird from time to time.

Jabulani!

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