We begin our January 2019 music schedule by featuring the Afro Jazz of Trumpet player Christine Kamau. Check out her profile below.

Christine Kamau is a Kenyan Trumpeter, Composer, Band Leader and Performing Artist. Her music is a fusion of Jazz, Funk, Soul, Benga and Chakacha. Christine Kamau credits her musical influences to Hugh Masekela, Maroon Commandos, Miles Davis among others.

In 2012, hristine Kamau released an 8-track instrumental afro-jazz album titled ‘This is for You’. The album offers an exciting listening experience, the music being a fusion of Jazz with the African music elements of Benga and Rhumba. This debut release received positive reviews from the music community and saw her featured on the BBC music program titled Africa Beats a series that showcased emerging music talent from Africa.

A keen collaborator and campaigner for music as a tool for propagating unity, Ms. Kamau has shared a stage with musicians such as acclaimed jazz group Incognito, Fathy Salama, Prince’s former bassist Ida Nielsen, Isaiah Katumwa, Lira and Timi Dakolo.

Christine Kamau is also the Founder & Artistic Director of Women in Music Concert Series, a platform that seeks to promote women in performing arts. The popular event held in Nairobi has featured music performances by artists from Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Having graced various stages on the continent, Christine Kamau is steadily becoming an established name on the African Jazz Scene.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

RECIPIENT 2017 British Council Mobility Grant, ETHIOPIA

SPEAKER 2017 Music In Africa ACCES Conference, SENEGAL

MEMBER 2018 ACCES Curation Committee, KENYA

JAZZ from Germany Visitors Program July 2018, GERMANY

PERFORMANCES

Sierra Jazz Festival Kenya (2012)

Blankets and Wine Festival XXXII Kenya (2012)

The Jazz with Isaiah Katumwa TV Show, Uganda (2013)

Safaricom International Jazz Festival Rising Stars Ed. (2014)

Sondeka Festival, Kenya (2015)

MASA Festival Ivory Coast (2016)

Doadoa Festival Uganda (2016)

Jahazi Jazz & Literary Festival Zanzibar (2016)

Capital Jazz Festival Abuja Nigeria (2016)

Karibu Music Festival Tanzania (2016)

Kigali Jazz Junction Rwanda (2017)

Yaounde Jazz Festival, Cameroon (2017)

Green Space Festival, Kenya (2018)

AWARDS

Nominee Best Jazz Act 2017 Cafe Ngoma Awards

REVIEWS

“-with hindsight her 2012 debut was a seminal moment in this decades African Jazz”. (africanjazz.info)

“To many jazz lovers who gathered at Kigali Serena Hotel, Kenya’s Christine Kamau was that thrill which quenced most jazz thirsty souls”. (Andrew Kazibwe, Arts Glo, Rwanda)

Check out Christine Kamau in the following video links

PLEASE NOTE

• J’s Fresh Kitchen accepts reservations so please make a reservation for a table should you know you will be coming for dinner.
• The number for reservations is 0707612585.
• J’s Westlands is a 23 years and older venue.
• The show starts promptly at 8pm so tables are held till 8pm after which they are opened to other customers.