Airtel partners Runway Jazz to mark 2018 International Jazz Day

Leading telecommunications services provider, Airtel Nigeria, has partnered with Runway Jazz, an initiative aimed at promoting Nigeria’s rich music and culture, to host a two-day jazz music and fashion festival in commemoration of the 2018 International Jazz Day.

The two-day festival, which holds at the Eko Hotel & Suites on Saturday, 28th April and Sunday, 29th April, will not only thrill lovers of fashion and smooth jazz music but will also celebrate the life and times of the late, great Hugh Ramapolo Masakela, South African musical maestro who  pioneered jazz in his home country.

Dolapo Osinbajo, wife of the Vice President and founder, Step Up Initiative will host a fashion master class, which will be followed by a music master class, both slated for April 28.

Gerard Albright, eight time Grammy Award nominee will headline the musical performances to deliver classically impressive tunes that will climax in a series of “explosive performances” by musical talents. Tiwa Savage, leading Nigerian songstress will for the first time, bring a new dimension to the jazz music genre with her performance.

Sweet Sound, Beyond Vocal, Heavy Wind and Society for Performing Arts in Nigeria (SPAN), will also showcase their mastery over musical and dance artistry. The runway session will feature “the evolution of bridal styling” with designs from AvantGarde by Elizabeth R. a contemporary fashion brand under the leadership of Ibidun Ighodalo, its creative director.

Afolabi Kehinde Oke, founder of the Runway Jazz festival, said the event marks an exciting time in the lives of music and fashion lovers. “The 2018 edition of the runway jazz festival promises to be bigger and better with the riveting line up of activities we have planned.

“The unique marriage of classical jazz music and tasteful fashion will excite the senses with sights and sounds meant to traverse cultural and geo-political boundaries in a way only music and fashion can.

“We are happy to cross yet another milestone as we celebrate the international jazz day, in fulfillment of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) mandate.” The main event will hold by 6pm on Sunday, April 29 at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.  The International Jazz Day created by UNESCO in 2001, is a worldwide initiative designed to celebrate jazz music as a symbol of peace and unity among nations.