Mani Martin to headline Kigali Jazz Junction

The popular Kigali Jazz Junction is back. Dubbed the Ultimate Jazz Junction, this month’s edition is bigger and better. For the first time in its history, the Kigali Jazz Junction will not be headlined by the Neptunez band, which has been the main act at all the previous editions. Instead, for this month’s jazz junction that will be held at the Kigali Serena Hotel on Friday May 27, local Afro-soul singer Mani Martin and his Kesho outfit will headline the show. Described as one of the best live acts on the contemporary Rwandan music scene, Martin will be joined on stage by Ugandan guitarist Myko Ouma, who will be the night’s main act. “As organisers we believe jazz is very dominant in Afro fusion music or what you would call world music like Mani Martin does. This is a platform for him to assert his artistic power to lure more fans towards his art and music because jazz fans are people who really love their music in-depth as opposed to pop music fans,” says Remmy Lubega, the Managing Director of RG Consult, which organises the jazz junctions. For his part, Mani Martin revealed that he would use the occasion to announce the title and release date for his latest album— saying the Ultimate Jazz Junction was the right occasion to do it: “I’ve been going to Jazz Junction as a fan of the event and as a fan of Jazz music, and it’s one of the events that I really enjoy because of the live music, so when they invited me I accepted immediately.” Martin says his fans should expect a very big performance. Mani Martin – real name- Martin Maniraruta, is a singer/actor, famous in the film, Long Coat, about the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Mani Martin, 28, during a pervious concert. (Net photo) The 28-year-old was described by a reviewer for The Rwanda Spectrum Magazine as “one of Rwanda’s strongest live performing acts.” His music reflects a blend of Afro-soul and traditional Rwandan music, and features lyrics in Kinyarwanda, Kiswahili, English and French. Martin’s music reflects the influences of Rwandan music legends Cecile Kayirebwa and Jean Paul Samputu as well as international stars Ismaël Lô and R. Kelly. He has twice performed at the international Rwanda Day event held in Boston and in Paris. He also performed in Darfur, South Sudan in 2012. Martin was the first Rwandan artiste to perform at the Sauti Za Busara Zanzibar music festival during its tenth anniversary in 2013. His compositions include Intero y’amahoro, Icyo dupfana kiruta icyo dupfa, Urukumbuzi, My Destiny, and Same Room. His music is revered for its artistic beauty and intellectual depth. Gates open at 6:30p.m and the show will run till 11p.m. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Mani Martin to headline Kigali Jazz Junction