Japhet Alakam & Iyabo Aina

With plans in top gear, Inspiro Productions organizers of Nigeria’s premier Jazz festival – The Lagos International Jazz Festival have given an April 30th to May 2nd 2015 date for the much awaited annual Jazz Tourism and entertainment extravaganza.

After two highly successful past editions and now on its third edition, the festival is modelled after the world famous Cape Town International Jazz Festival and is designed to offer visitors and residents in Lagos world class entertainment.

Spokesperson for Inspiro productions and festival director Ayoola Sadare said “our long term goal is still to establish Lagos as a vibrant Jazz Tourism destination alongside cities like Cape Town, Montreal, Montreux, New Orleans, London and Tokyo among others and each year the festival holds we are hopefully on course. The Lagos international Jazz festival is a landmark event that is positioned to be an icon on Nigeria’s Arts and culture calendar that will attract Jazz and contemporary music lovers to the city and help deepen the tourism realities of Lagos State and by extension Nigeria. The festival places Nigeria side by side with every other famous and successful Jazz festival globally and also builds the capacity of our home-based musicians giving them access to the international platform as they interact with high profile music legends from various countries of the world.”

Sadare further stated “This year the festival is going a step higher by incorporating both the Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM) and International Jazz Day to its program. The month of April annually is Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM) and worldwide a number of programs to promote Jazz both as an historical and contemporary art form are held with concerts, lectures, workshops and exhibitions. The JAM culminates with the International Jazz Day on APRIL 30 and this was officially designated in November 2011 by UNESCO in order to highlight Jazz and its diplomatic role of uniting people in all corners of the globe.

International Jazz Day brings together communities, schools, artists, historians, academics, and Jazz enthusiasts all over the world to celebrate and learn about Jazz and its roots, future and impact; raise awareness of the need for intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding; and reinforce international cooperation and communication.

Each year on April 30, this international art form is recognized for promoting peace, dialogue among cultures, diversity, and respect for human rights and human dignity, eradicating discrimination, promoting freedom of expression, fostering gender equality, and reinforcing the role of youth for social change.

In December 2012, the United Nations General Assembly formally welcomed the decision by the UNESCO General Conference to proclaim April 30 as International Jazz Day. The United Nations and UNESCO now both recognize International Jazz Day on their official calendars.

The performing artistes, venue and programs of the 2015 edition of the festival will be unveiled thereafter.