Innaugural Kampala Jazz Marathon hit so many perfect octaves

What the report says

The inaugural Kampala Jazz Marathon brought together jazz, gospel, spoken word and Ugandan hip-hop at Explorer Resort and Marina in Kampala, according to Sqoop Uganda. The event began in the evening with performances from young vocalist Eduwado Kayondo, The Ubeatablez band and Gita before moving through a series of guest appearances that kept the waterfront audience engaged.

Sqoop Uganda reported that Navio’s surprise set shifted the mood from straight jazz to a more energetic crowd response, while veteran performer Rucci, spoken-word artist Mitch Isabirye, Sheila Katumwa and trumpeter Marvin Birungyi each added different styles to the programme. Kenneth Mugabi also joined in unexpectedly after being pulled from the audience to perform his song Katambaara, and Babaluku collaborated with Rucci in one of the evening’s notable moments.

The headline act was King Wizzy, identified by the publisher as a Ugandan jazz pianist based in the Netherlands and the event’s organizer. His performance was presented as the musical anchor of the marathon, which the article said was intended to help fill a gap for jazz lovers in Uganda after the end of the Nile Gold Jazz Safari in 2013. The report also noted backing from venue owner Dr Allan Shonubi and sponsors including Kakira Sugar, Mehta Uganda and Perlino Prosecco champagne.

More broadly, the event appeared designed to position the waterfront venue as a destination for live music and to show that a jazz festival in Kampala can mix genres and surprise audiences while still keeping jazz at its center.