This Friday, the Kigali Jazz Junction calls it a wrap for the year 2017. And what better way to do this, than bring it home, with an all-Rwandan musical line-up? On stage to entertain loyal fans of jazz, as they bid farewell to 2017, will be Rwandan folk music icon Intore Masamba and Nigeria-based Rwandan female vocalist Patricia Neza Masozera, fondly known by her stage name Neza Da Songbird. The highly anticipated junction series, in its Season III, edition IV, at Kigali Serena Hotel, will feature the Kigali Jazz Junction resident band, Neptunez and Makumbi Sound, as backup acts. It will be the first time that Masamba and Neza grace the jazz junction stage. Masamba was supposed to have headlined the second edition (Season IV), in May this year, but could not make it. In his place, the Kenyan singer and writer Cece Sagini was flown in, and entertained alongside the Nubian Gypsies band. Neza. Net. Previously based in Canada, from where she pursued her music career, Neza relocated to Lagos, Nigeria earlier this year, after signing up with Nigerian music label, the MCG Music Empire, owned by Nigerian singer and songwriter, MC Galaxy. The two have since released a handful of collaborations including My Baby, Slay Mama, Uranyica and Jacurb dance. More recently, Neza and Galaxy collaborated on Tempramido, with Rwandan singer DJ Pius, and the song is enjoying decent club play in Lagos, Nigeria. “We have been wondering why we don’t have a purely Rwandan edition, even with so much talent that we have,” explained Remmy Lubega, the organiser of the Kigali jazz junction, when asked about the all-Rwandan lineup. “It’s one way of appreciating what local acts can give, and also celebrate the Rwandan spirit with jazz fans,” he added. Tickets for the concert go for Rwf10,000 (ordinary), Rwf20,000 (VIP), and Rwf160,000 for a corporate table of eight.
