Meet the stars set to rock 10th Annual Johnnie Walker Jazz & Soul Safari
The 10th annual Johnnie Walker Jazz and Soul Safari is set to take place on Saturday September 2nd at Lugogo Cricket Oval. The event will be celebrating 10 years of rocking jazz fans and welcoming their new main sponsor Johnnie Walker which has taken over Nile Gold.
Yola Semedo
Below are the profiles of the stars set to fire up jazz lovers on Saturday 2nd September 2017 at Lugogo Cricket Oval.
Marcus Anderson
One of the premiere saxophonists in the world, Marcus Anderson is not only a sought after solo artist, with eight albums to date, who performs to audiences all over the world, and who accompanies other great artists such as CeeLo Green and Judith Hill, but he is also known as being a featured saxophonist with the late Prince’s New Power Generation.
In addition to being a sax maestro, Marcus plays the flute, sings, writes, dances, produces and arranges music; his talent is undeniable to most audiences and to his peers. As if that wasn’t enough, his recent accomplishments include ranking #1 on Billboard Smooth Jazz and SirusXM Radio Watercolors.
Marcus recently became a key contributor to CeeLo Green’s tour band, traveling internationally with the Love Train Tour. Marcus is no stranger to notoriety touring often with his own band both as a recording artist and performer.
Marcus’ eight albums to date include his three produced in the past two years. The “Marcus Anderson Xperience…M.A.X. Live in Concert” is a limited edition CD celebrating Marcus’s tenth anniversary performing and recording as a solo act. The CD, AND Coffee™, is an ode to and for coffee lovers, celebrating the launch of Marcus’s recent coffee brand of the same name (www.ANDproducts.net).
The single, “A Cup of Joe,” received the highest honors as #1 on Billboard Smooth Jazz and #1 on SirusXM Radio Watercolors. Recently, Marcus released, My Inspiration, his first solo inspirational CD.
Marcus has played with several headliners during guest appearances on well-noted shows such as Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Arsenio Hall Show, Jimmy Fallon and The Tonight Show.
He is a veteran and audience favorite at such notable festivals as the Essence Music Festival, Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival, Seabreeze Jazz Festival, Capital Jazz Festival, Montreux Jazz Festival, Curacao North Sea Jazz Festival, and more.
Marcus has a strong international presence and his 2015 MAX Tour – London performances were received to rave reviews. The package Marcus brings on stage, with his showmanship and sheer jubilance, electrifies audiences everywhere. In a note, Marcus has taken his traditional smooth jazz roots and infused his music with R&B, Pop, Rock, Latin and funky grooves.
Marcus studied with Branford Marsalis, Dr. Ira Wiggins and Gospel saxophonist Donald Hayes for several years. He achieved many accolades along the way, including a North Carolina Gospel Announcers’ Prestige Award for Gospel Jazz Artist of the Year, thus displaying his musical diversity. He has performed for President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Jesse Jackson, amongst other dignitaries. He has also toured with Judith Hill, Sheila E, Liv Warfield and Anthony Hamilton.
As a solo artist, Marcus has been honored to open for and join on stage artists such as Ledisi, Lalah Hathaway, Brian Culbertson, Esperanza Spaulding, Peter White, Boney James, Kirk Whalum, Gerald Albright, George Duke, Wynton Marsalis, Alex Bugnon, Nnenna Freelon, Jeff Lorber, Bob Baldwin, Jennifer Holiday and The Sax Pack.
Please visit www.marcusanderson.net or social media at @mandersonsax for all the latest on Marcus Anderson.
Biography Of Yola Semedo (Yola Moutofa Coimbra Semedo)
Beginning
‘Impactus 4’ family band was founded in Lobito- Angola in 1982 by Mr. Orlando Semedo. Initial structure: Yola Semedo, Eduina Semedo, Jorge Semedo and Alcino.
Updated structure of the band:
2015 – Counts with 7 additional members- being Yola Semedo the main singer the most nominated and most awarded Artist/Singer in Angola being recently awarded with 4 Awards at the Angolan AMA 2015.
Musical work: Perform excellence Kizomba, Semba, Zouk, Ballad and also performs other musical genres like Jazz, Neo Soul and R&B.
Yola Semedo Discography;
Four record labels works entitled “Yola Semedo” (2006), “Minha Alma” (2010), “Disco’ went platinum (50,000 copies sold in three months) with the same”, coming one third and fourth work DVD entitled “25 Years of Career” and CD single titled “Minhas Memórias” (2011). The latest record work titled “Filho Meu” (2014).
Impactus 4 and part of the supporting band backing Yola Semedo, have participated in festivals and galas with large internationally renowned artists such as Salif Keita, Manu Dibango, ISHMAEL LO, LUKY DUBE, Brenda Fassie, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Bayete, DR. VICTOR, MICHAEL JACKSON (Gala hosted by then Namibian Prime Minister Hage Gaingob), STEVE WONDER (Gala hosted by then Namibian Prime Minister Hage Gaingob), TITO PARIS (Miami Beach), WALDEMAR BASTOS and LUÍS DAM (140ANOS BANK OF BES) Great Fadista CARMO CARLOS (HCTA), JOHN LEGEND (Gala of the Red Cross), the latest interest; Rui Veloso (House 70), CARMINHO (Epic Sana Hotel) and SARA TAVARES (Lookal, ); KASSAV (Maputo Festival du Zouk); JEAN MICHAEL ROTIN (Maputo Festival du Zouk); TANYA SAINT VAL (Luanda Festival du Zouk); ALEXANDRE PIRES (Dream Space Luanda); BANDA CALYPSO (Festival Angola Brasil), ALCIONE (Brazil).
Awards and Achievements:
Yola Semedo was worthy of several awards such as;
Awarded the Moda Luanda “Best Modern Music Band” prize Radio Luanda “Best Band of the Year 2008” award, Moda Luanda “Best Band of the Year 2009”
The highlight was that of Africa’s golden voice at the festival organized by UNESCO in Bulgaria on behalf of Angola (1995), Best female voice of Angola (2000) (2006) (2007) Ballad of the year (2006), Best interpreter Women (2006) and (2007), Diva of the Year of the Moment (2007) and Diva of the Year (2008), Career Award Gala 35 in Angola (2010), Top of the Most Beloved (2010), Diva of the Angolan Music (2007, 2008, 2010, 2015 and 2016), Kizomba of the Year “Injusta” (2010) and Female Voice of the Year (2010), 7 nominations at the Angolan Music Awards 2015, Winner of Best Female Singer(AMA 2015), Best Album (AMA 2015); Best Kizomba Music (AMA 2015); Best Semba Music (AMA 2015), Mentor to the winner of the African first ‘The Voice’ TV competition (2016).
Philanthropy and social work:
Towards a better country/continent through the following works of charity and social character: Future Child (2005) – Carnival Culture (2007) – Charity Gala (Lwuni Fund) – Say no Drugs – no Violence – Election Campaign – Fight Against AIDS – UNICEF Vaccination Campaign against Measles and Prevention of breast cancer.
We emphasize that Yola Semedo is the Ambassador of CHEVRON’s Fight/Prevention of Malaria, HIV-AIDS, Breast Cancer and she is the Goodwill Ambassador for Disadvantaged Children Protection since 2009. UNICEF (ANGOLA) Ambassador 2015 and ONU-AIDS (ANGOLA) Ambassador 2016-2017.
Click here for a press conference highlights https://www.facebook.com/JohnnieWalkerUganda/videos/1857390521248979/
