The Bob Collymore Foundation has unveiled the inaugural BC Jazz Lounge, part of the BC International Jazz Festival Series.
The event will feature the celebrated Jazz at Lincoln Centre Orchestra, led by Grammy and Pulitzer Prize-winning trumpeter and composer Wynton Marsalis. The ensemble will perform in Nairobi on October 1 and 2, 2025, at Tamarind Gardens.
The first show, scheduled for October 1, will be a VIP dinner and performance, while the second show on October 2 will be open to the general public.
The second day will also feature a special showcase for schools before the evening concert. Tickets are now on sale through mookh.com, with early bird and regular rates available.
Education day
As part of their visit, the Orchestra will host an education day, offering a masterclass for emerging local jazz artists and select students from Ghetto Classics and other schools in Nairobi. The initiative highlights the festival’s commitment to youth development and nurturing local talent through music.
Nairobi is one of the key stops for the Jazz at Lincoln Centre Orchestra’s first multi-country Africa tour. The 15-member ensemble is composed of virtuoso instrumentalists, soloists, composers, arrangers, and educators. They are widely recognised for their ability to blend an unprecedented variety of styles and genres, making them one of the most dynamic ensembles in contemporary jazz.
Wynton Marsalis, who is currently the Managing and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Centre, also serves as Director of Jazz Studies at The Juilliard School and President of the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation. Since his recording debut in 1982, he has released 127 recordings across jazz, classical, and alternative music and has won numerous awards for his contributions to music.
On this tour, the Orchestra will perform Marsalis’s new work, Afro!, which will premiere ahead of their Africa performances. Afro! builds upon Marsalis’s previous works, including Blood on the Fields in 1996, Congo Square in 2007, Ochas in 2014, The South African Songbook concert in 2019, and the 2023 composition Kenya.
Festival Director Wambui Collymore said the event marks an important milestone for the festival, which aims to play a central role in the growth of Africa’s jazz ecosystem.
Marsalis emphasised the significance of the tour, noting that Africa’s music and dance traditions continue to influence global artistry and provide lessons in harmony, creativity, and community.
Special guests joining the Orchestra on the Africa tour include drummer Herlin Riley, percussionist Weedie Braimah, and vocalist Shenel Johns.
The BC Jazz Lounge is expected to bring international attention to Nairobi’s cultural scene, positioning the city as a key hub in Africa’s evolving jazz movement.
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