The third edition of the BC International Jazz Festival (BCIJF) will be on February 15, 2025 at the Carnivore Grounds. It is hosted by the Bob Collymore Foundation, which was established to honour the legacy of the late former Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore.
The inaugural BC International Jazz Festival was hosted on July 1 2023 with the second one being on February 24, 2024.
Tickets to the BC International Jazz Festival can be bought here mookh.com/bc-international-jazz-festival-3 with tickets going for Ksh. 2,500, Ksh. 1,000 for students and Ksh. 500 for kids.
The lineup of performers for this year’s edition includes:
1. Kaima Mwiti Quintet
Kaima is a talented jazz pianist and he and his quintet have shared stages with artistes such as Jonthan Butler, Jacob Asiyo and is currently the co-host of the Capital FM Jazz Club.
2. Judah and the Tribe
Judah and The Tribe
Judah and the Tribe are an 8 to 9-piece Afro jazz band based in Nairobi, led by trumpeter and flugelhornist Judah Onesimus. The band was founded around early 2021 by a group of music students at Kenyatta University as a permutation of the students’ band under Judah’s leadership. The band members are prolific composers and arrangers, recording artists and bandleaders and music directors in their own right.
The two Kenyan performers were chosen following a competitive auditions process held in late 2024.
3. Moreira Chonguiça
Moreira Chonguica
Moreira Chonguiça is a key figure in leveraging cultural arts for diplomatic and social transformation, amplifying the significance of his work on a global scale and highlighting his unique blend of music, cultural engagement and international influence.
He stands at the intersection of music and diplomacy, using his global influence to foster cultural exchange and understanding. As a celebrated Mozambican jazz saxophonist, composer, and producer, his work transcends borders, making him a powerful advocate for cultural diplomacy.
4. Stephanie Lottermoser
Stephanie Lottermoser
Stephanie Lottermoser tells personal stories as a saxophonist, singer and composer about society, weaving narratives about people and situations through her music. She composes and arranges her music herself and also produced her most recent album, IN-DEPENDENCE. Being close to her audience has always been very important to her and she manages to create an intimate setting both on club stages and at large festivals and to bring listeners into her musical universe.
5. Bėga Quartet
Bega Quartet
The Bėga Quartet brings together prominent Ethiopian instrumentalists that infuse jazz and contemporary sounds with authentic Ethiopian and East African musical cultures. The Quartet brings together Abiy Osman on alto saxophone and keys, Dawit Adera on drums, Girum Mezmur on guitar, and Henock Temesgen on bass. Each of the members have built a strong legacy evolving the Addis Ababa music scene by performing with major artists as well as focusing on deepening education on music in their communities. Together, the four artistes create a unique blend of East African jazz with captivating performance and sound texture.
All artistes will be supported by the Safaricom Youth orchestra, Ghetto Classics as well as DJ D-lite.
Part of the proceeds from East Africa’s largest Jazz Festival go towards facilitating music education for youth in Kenya through organisations such as the Ghetto Classics programme. Specifically, the proceeds provide young adults with access to artistic expression and education which they are unable to access through traditional education systems.
Among the lineup of artists who have performed at previous BC International Jazz Festival events include; Syssi Mananga, Humphrey Mubaa, Enkare Saxophone Quartet, Samuel Mutuku,The Jazztified, Nairobi Horns Project, Jacob Asiyo, Shamsi Music, Edward Pareseen, and Jack Maguna.