Africa-Press – Angola. The first edition of the National Jazz Festival, called “Angojazz”, opened this Monday at Palácio de Ferro, in Luanda, by the project mentor, Dimbo Makiesse.
The project’s mentor, Dimbo Makiesse, informed that it will take place for a week, with the participation of more than 65 national artists.
The event’s program reserves, for the first four days, workshops to share experiences and concerts on the remaining days.
According to the person in charge, the presence of the Belgian saxophonist, Julien Hucq, the Brazilian percussionist, Landão Jessé, and the American plastic artist, Ryan Daniels, as well as the Angolan artists Dodó Miranda, Filipe Mukenga, Hugo Bass, Dimbo Makiesse and Guilherme Mampuya.
Dimbo Makiesse stressed that the event aims to value Angolan roots such as culture, languages, dances, drumming, marimba, as well as influencing new talents.
According to Dimbo Makiesse, the intention is also to support the struggle for the expansion of jazz in Angola.
He appealed to jazz lovers to help bring together artists from different parts of the country, so that there is a representative from each province, whether they are musicians, artists of other expressions, painters, dancers and poets.
For the closing, performances by the band Angojazz, Brass Band, CCB, Corimba, Tuapandula Singers, Diana Kabango, Os Peregrinos, Trio Convergente, Gari Sinedima, Jay Lourenzo, Melvi Lumbungululo, among other attractions are scheduled.
Regarding the presence of speakers, he said that Filipe Mukenga will share his experience with artists of the new generation, showing paths and methods that help in the process of learning and overcoming obstacles.
In turn, Dodó Miranda, one of the names that has always defended jazz music, will share his experience on the concepts and production of jazz at a national level, while Ryan Daniels will address the creative process, the art of woodcuts, culminating in an exercise in that the participants will produce works of engraving, with the process of printing originals.
Landão Jessé, leader of the “Drum Ubuntu” project, will share the introduction of jazz to Bossa Nova and samba. The Brazilian artist will explain how they managed to fit jazz, in an exponential way, into the harmony and rhythm of samba and other styles.
Julien Hucq, who was in the country in December last year, is once again sharing his experience with Angolan artists in a virtual way.
History of Angojazz
Founded on May 24, 2019, one of the band’s objectives is to reverse the elitist burden of jazz, creating new audiences, reaching a more eclectic audience.
It presents a repertoire that reflects Angolan culture from traditional to modern, interpreting classic jazz with influences from kilapanga, semba and tchianda. With Dimbo Makiesse (piano), King Jaime (electric bass), Paulo Jazz (lead guitar), Jack Nsaka and Jesus Baptista (drums), Omar Gross (drums), Benz Jazz (trumpet), Banilson Gama (flute) and Lukeny ( saxophone).
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