For four days, the capital of Angola resonated with the sounds of jazz during the third edition of the International Jazz Festival "ANGOJAZZ."
The festival welcomed artists from six countries: Germany, Belgium, France, Portugal, Cuba, and Venezuela, transforming Luanda's Palacio de Ferro into both a performance venue and a space for learning, much to the delight of the festival's artistic director.
A significant emphasis was placed on training female Angolan artists, reflecting a commitment to nurturing future talent. The director stated, "We must pass on information to future generations so they can benefit from what we are doing today. That’s why music exists, and we need to write it down. In this festival, apart from the show, we also have workshops and masterclasses that are free of charge."
The festival highlighted the growing jazz scene in Angola, with first-time participants indicating promising developments for future events. One attendee expressed their joy, saying, "Jazz is a musical style that soothes the soul. After a day of work, it brings me great joy to come here and listen to this kind of music. Everything is going wonderfully, and I am very satisfied with the event. Next year, I will be here; I won’t miss it."
Among the 60 artists present were musicians from the invited countries, including Gonçalo Marques and Bruno Santo (Portugal), Miguelito (Cuba), Conny Schneider (Germany), Trio Edith Calas (France), Biyewa (Belgium), and Mariana Martinez (Venezuela), alongside local talents like Dimbu Makiese, Filipe Mukenga, and Vladimiro Gonga.
Violinist Miguelito shared his passion for performance, stating, "Music is in my veins [...] And so, I give the best of myself on stage."
The festival, which concluded on Sunday, paid tribute to local music critic and jazz enthusiast Jeronimo Belo and was organized with support from the Ministry of Culture, the French Embassy, and the Alliance Française among other partners.
