Keziah Jones, the master Nigerian artist popularly known as the “BluFunk” Innovator is scheduled to perform in Nairobi, Kenya at the Cool Waters Jazz & Roots Festival 2016.
Jones is a revered singer, songwriter whose music is a fusion of rock, blues, afrobeat, soul, a trace of traditional Nigerian sounds and funk, hinged on pure rhythm. His first album “BluFunk Is A Fact!” was released in 1993 setting him out as a distinct and unique musician, ‘the-one-person-genre’.
His music is described by unsolidified vocalism and distinctive guitar-playing. Jimi Hendrix, John Coltrane and Fela Kuti are some of the great artist the Nigerian Afrosurrealist draws influence from. The blufunk master breeds a luster of greatness to the African music scene and has influenced many other artists and exceptional guitarists throughout his career, which spans 20 years.
His single “Beautiful Emily” off the ‘Black Orpheus” album is among soundtracks used in the popular American AMC TV series “Breaking Bad”. Jones other projects include: African SpaceCraft (1995), Liquid Sunshine (1999), Black Orpheus (2003), Nigerian Wood (2008), Captain Rugged is his most recent work released in 2013. Jones will be performing on the second day of the event Friday 23.
The three-day Cool Waters Jazz & Roots Festival 2016 promises to be all exciting with a number of artists lined up to perform including the legendary Cameroonian instrumentalist, singer, composer and producer Franck Biyong who’ll have his set on the last day of the event. The multitalented Biyong was born in Cameroon but currently resides in the UK, his music is in-between Afrojazz and “Afro-Electro-Rock which fuses rock, electronica and African tunes with incredible rhythm schemes. ‘Loyimba’, one of his singles masters the fusion between rock and electro.
He has toured widely and performed alongside the likes of Tony Allen and Ghanaian Highlife guitarist, Ebo Taylor.
“I like having a large palette of sounds, instruments and textures at my disposal to create arrangements that will be reflective of the moods, atmospheres implied by the melodies and songs.”– Biyong
Kabo Leburu from Botswana will be performing on the first day of the festival alongside amazing artists from Kenya who include: Eddy Grey who’ll share the stage on the last day with Biyong, Maia Von Lekow who’ll be opening for Keziah Jones, Achieng Abura who will perform on the last day alongside Teto Tutuma. The organizers have also a lined-up master DJs; Zelalem, Mauriz and Richie who’ll be at hand for the best entertainment.
Eddy Grey is a Kenyan jazz artist whose music is a package of eclectic harmonies with supple folk melodies from various cultures in Kenya, His albums include “No Train To Kibera” Stories By The Lake” his third “World To Come” will be out in December.
Achieng Abura on the other hand is a renowned Kenyan musician with a career that spans 20 years and 8 albums to her name. The KORA All Africa Music Award winner has performed in various countries in Africa and beyond.
Teto Tutuma is an artist that has successfully managed to create his own distinct sound dubbed “Maasai Acoustic Roots”, his latest album is titled “Nosim Ali”. Maia Von Lekow on the other hand is a multitalented singer songwriter whose music is a concoct of African rhythms, folk, jazz, soul and funk elements creating that nervy chill sound.
The festival will be held on separate venues for the three days from Thursday 22 at Choices Pub and Restaurant, Friday 23 at The Treehouse and Saturday 24 at The Elephant.