Jagwa Music takes the street vibe of Dar es Salaam to the big stage
Jagwa Music just completed a short European tour which took them to the Roskilde Festival (DK) and TFF Rudolstadt (D) among others. Successfully transforming the vibe of their Dar es Salaam street performances to the big stage singer Jackie Kazimoto and crew transformed Roskilde’s Cosmopol tent into crazy party that lasted until the curfew at 4 am. Here’s what the Danish press made of their show:
A HARD-HITTING PARTY: JAGWA MUSIC IS COMPLETELY OUT OF CATEGORY
A wildly syncopated rhythm section in sickly exorbitant high-speed interaction with a cheap Casio-keyboard spitting harmonic Esperanto. And a lead singer with the charm of a young Michael Jackson flanked by two absolutely out of hand/unruly dancers, just as dirty/bawdy and funny as acrobatic. Rarely has Cosmopol driven the energy level that high and merry.
[Ralf Christensen, Information, July 4, 2011, p. 1; www.information.dk]
IRRESISTIBLE ROCKERS FROM TANZANIA
The lead singer of the incredible group which is establishing East African sounds in the global conscience, is a fantastic, wonderful and cheeky guy with a strolling, almost flippant appearance. And behind him is an ensemble, which mostly consists of percussionists, who weave a flying carpet of beats, while the melodic parts are performed by a kid with a small keyboard, which unmistakably resembles the one I bought for my daughter, when she was five. And I dare say that it moves. […] They are a street style band like the more famous ones from Congo. But the way they kick ass, the role as the underdog is soon to end. And as the last band Saturday night on Cosmopol they made a packed tent go crazy. The audience did not want to let go of the party. Unequalled/brilliant, simply!
[Torben Holleufer, Gaffa, July 3, 2011; www.gaffa.dk]
Jagwa Music at Roskilde Festival 2011 on Flickr ››