The Sunday Mail
Society Reporter
TOWNSHIP jazz crooner Tanga Wekwa Sando will today join the rest of the world in celebrating International Jazz Day with a performance at Chez Zandi in Harare.
Tanga, real name Ernest Tanga Kambadzo Sando, said the gig was an important way for him and jazz lovers to join hands in recognition of the special day.
Born on August 1, 1954, Tanga began his musical journey when he was 17, and has over the years been instrumental in developing afro-jazz music in the country.
He rose to popularity with the hit song “Mahobho” in the mid-90s. Around that time, he also released the timeless Warriors tribute song “Vakomana Vekwedu” and “Wake” after the turn of the new millennium.
“This is a global day recognised by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) and needs to be duly observed. I have decided to host a show at Chez Zandi, an unplugged session featuring Tanga’s trio,” he said in an interview with The Sunday Mail Society.
The concert is scheduled to start at 6pm and will run for at least three hours.
The International Jazz Day brings together countries and communities worldwide every year, on April 30.
The day was proclaimed at UNESCO in 2011, at the initiative of UNESCO goodwill ambassador Herbie Hancock, and recognised by the United Nations General Assembly.
Unesco director-general Audrey Azoulay and Hancock announced this year’s celebration programme, with participation from more than 190 countries.
Nations are joining forces to celebrate jazz as a universal tool for promoting peace, dialogue among cultures, diversity and respect for human dignity; eradicating discrimination; fostering gender equality; and promoting individual expression.
“We will be celebrating. The show will be done in two sets. In the first one, I will be remembering where I came from and then the second set will be featuring love songs and hits that we have unleashed thus far.
“This is how I have decided to observe the day. I know some of my colleagues have also come up with different celebration styles in different parts of the country. The ultimate objective is for us to have fun while observing the International Jazz Day,” added the revered singer, who is currently celebrating his golden jubilee in the music industry.
The flagship Jazz Day event, a spectacular All-Star Global Concert, will feature an extraordinary selection of performances by Dianne Reeves, Marcus Miller, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Christian McBride, Melody Gardot, Sérgio Mendes, Cyrille Aimée, Antonio Sánchez, John Beasley and many more.
The All-Star Global Concert will be webcast worldwide and live-streamed on YouTube and Facebook.
The concert will feature performances in 12 cities simultaneously: Beijing, Beirut, Casablanca, Johannesburg, Marondera, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Vienna, Fairbanks, New York, San Francisco and Washington DC.
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime.
Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognised as a major form of musical expression in traditional and popular music.
