08 The language of Jazz
Sometimes intimate , sometimes exuberant , Jazz music employs a creative approach in variation and endless permutations . Nonetheless , Jazz music is always instantly recognized and distinguished from all other forms of musical expression … layered with experience and life profoundly lived . Jazz is a highly developed art form that continues to evolve . The music of each decade sounds fresh and distinct from the music that preceded it . Jazz today is so diverse and broad that there is something unique and interesting about every artist ’ s style .
A little bit on the history of Jazz music … It originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans , United States , in the late 19th and early 20th centuries . Since the 1920s Jazz Age , jazz has become recognized as a major form of musical expression . Jazz has roots in West African cultural and musical expression , and in African-American music traditions including blues and ragtime , as well as European military band music . The foundation of jazz music is deeply rooted within the black experience of the United States .
The jazz culture in Kenya is presumably growing now that it is being embraced wholesomely . In Kenya , there are several renowned jazz artists . You will not only experience their performances at different restaurants across town , you will hear them playing in special corporate and private events or at jazz festivals that are gradually becoming more and more popular .
30th April is the International Jazz day . Do you have any expectations on the Jazz prowess we uphold as a country and continent ? As you ponder on that , let ’ s find out more on three renown Kenyan Jazz Artists , who continue to blow away the minds of many with their impeccable talent .
Christine Kamau
Christine is a Kenyan Trumpeter ; a bold one for that matter , who dared to tread in a male dominated scene .
Gaining an interest in music at a very early age , Christine who was brought up in Nakuru , Kenya was encouraged by her parents , having enrolled her for Music Theory studies and classical piano classes from the age of 11 . Later , she continued her studies at the Kenya Conservatoire of Music where she learnt to pay the trumpet . She now plays the trumpet in the Conservatoire ’ s orchestra as well as in her band , African People . She is a gifted multi-instrumentalist who also loves playing the alto saxophone and tenor trombone
Spanning her impressive career , Christine has performed at significant jazz events in many countries across Africa including Ivory Coast , Kenya , Nigeria , Rwanda and Zanzibar , She has also appeared in the BBC series , African Beats , which features emerging African musicians .
8 April 2018