Tickets for The 9th Annual Nile Gold Jazz & Soul Safari to go on sale this week
The 9th Annual Nile Gold Jazz and Soul Safari is set to take place on Saturday October 8th at Lugogo Cricket Oval. It will feature renowned music star Maxi Priest. Lovers of good music will be able to choose whether to ‘chillout’ Indoors, or to ‘hangout’ Outdoors in the thick of The Funk, to get down and stomp their feet! Your Choice. All this will happen in the same venue! It’s great to have options.
Maxi Priest will rock Kampala fans on 8th October at Lugogo Cricket Oval
“There are only two sections; Platinum and Gold. There is no Economy Class and all our good music fans are that priceless to us”
The tickets for the Saturday 08th October, 2016 show at the Lugogo Cricket Oval will go on sale this week. Gates open at 3pm
Here are some of the main men who will be on instruments on that night;
Frank Simmons III on 2nd Keyboards
Frank Simmons III is a recording artist, pianist, and producer that hails from Detroit Michigan.
Frank grew a very fond interest in Jazz and eventually branched out into other genres of music such as R&B/Soul. He recently released his debut album “The Chocolate Noise Affect” which peaked at number one in three categories on the ITunes and Amazon charts.
Michael ‘Big Mike’ Hart Jr. on Guitar
Michael “BIG MIKE” Hart Jr. is a talented guitarist, producer, session player, bassist and vocal arranger. His distinctive, classic and retro sound is one of the most sought after sounds in the country.
The Sacramento native developed his love for guitar at a young age, and referred to it as the “Holy Ghost!” With a drive like no other, “BIG MIKE” has been harvesting his gift for the last 20 years. His guitar heroes include Rob ”Fonksta” Bacon, Bobby “Bobby G” Gonzales, John “Jubu” Smith, Derek “D.O.A” Allen and the man who helped jumpstart his journey, his uncle Jimi “Bottom Hammock” Morris.
Mike has taken a piece from all of his influences and fused them together, creating his own individual style. He has been afforded the opportunity to tour, produce and write for MTV (Cribs/Teen Cribs, Making The Band 4, Next), Bad Girls Club, Vh1 (From G’s to Gents), Access Hollywood, The T.O Show, HBO, BET, NBA, DJ Quik, Slimm (112), Dogg Pound, Ricky Bell (NEW EDITION), Michael Lington, Lin Rountree, Jessy J, Dave Hollister, Lenny Williams, Wayman Tisdale, Karyn White, Goapele and is the guitarist for Kenny Lattimore.
Nathan Mitchell – MD/Keyboards
A native of Panama City, Florida, this multi-talented performer, composer, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and vocalist makes his highly anticipated debut as a recording artist with the emotionally charged billboard charting single “For All Eternity” on Woodward Avenue Records. Featuring performances by saxophonist Marcus Anderson and guitarist Nate Najar, the song was released as both an instrumental and a vocal track featuring Nathan and (Christian Contemporary Artist / Co-Writer) RAnthony.
Nathan has been in nonstop whirlwind mode, showcasing his versatility on the keys throughout the country and various parts of Europe with a virtual who’s who of the urban-smooth jazz world. The Tampa Bay based performer has performed with Grammy Award winning, Multi-Platinum winning, and A-list artists such as Ricky Lawson (drummer for the stars), Nick Colionne, Jackiem Joyner, Paul Brown, Will Donato, Blake Aaron, Jonathan Butler, Elan Trotman, Mindi Abair, Stokley Williams (Mint Condition), Shaun Labelle, Jonathan Fritzen, Jessy J, NILS, Gerald Veasley, The Commodores, Irene Cara, Anthony David, Chante Cann, and many more artists.
Nathan’s musical influence extends back, to his father, a career Air Force man and a prominent gospel musician and choir director. “While he never pursued music professionally,” Mitchell says, “he is gifted on drums, keyboards, bass and guitar, and I definitely got my musical talent from him.“ Through the tutelage of his father and a variety of musical mentors, he has become a well-rounded musical presence that has the ability of mending the styles of old with the new.
Nathan’s mark in the urban-smooth jazz market took flight after enduring extreme tragedy in his family. He unfortunately is a widower, who lost his wife, who passed away after a valiant six year struggle with cancer in September 2010. In the wake of her loss, he was taking a much needed sabbatical from music when a longtime friend, who is in the urban-smooth jazz market as a premier drummer, called him to do a Mother’s Day show with artists Marcus Anderson and Will Donato. After doing several more urban-smooth jazz dates, various artists recommended him to Steve Butler of Mighty Music Group, who connected with him and offered more shows that ultimately led to him being able to work nonstop.
The keyboardist’s opportunity to become a recording artist had its roots on a tour with Jessy J, when he let Najar—who was also in Jessy’s band—hear his song “My Angel.” Najar insisted that Mark Nordman, founder of Woodward Avenue Records, hear it and Nordman liked it and asked to hear more material. When Paul Brown, two-time Grammy winning producer and an artist on the label, heard “For All Eternity,” he recommended that Nordman sign Mitchell to his roster.
“Playing this kind of music did something powerful for me at the perfect stage of my life,” says Mitchell. “All of the artists I have worked with got me locked into their passion of expression, which gave me an important emotional release and a way to express myself in a way that I couldn’t put into words. I couldn’t tell people exactly what I was feeling, but I could put it into a sound. It was funny because my fellow musicians and the audiences can hear how I felt based on how I performed. They knew my heartbeat through my playing.”
While urban-smooth jazz fans so far recognize Mitchell for his dynamic abilities on the keys, he’s also taking the helm as a vocalist, which is a rare commodity amongst instrumental artists in the smooth/urban jazz industry. Earning his degree in classical voice from Rollins College located in Winter Park, Florida, he was heavily influenced by Dr. John Sinclair (Department Chairman) and Curtis Rayam (vocal instructor), who in the 70’s performed in presentations of Scott Joplin’s opera “Treemonisha” and also subbed for Pavarotti. Rayam noted Mitchell a “Verdi tenor” helping him increase his range and teaching him how to be healthy vocalist that could last in any genre of music.
Nathan’s exhilarating and passionate musical style has created an amazing platform for him as a urban-smooth jazz artist. It is no secret once you have experienced his highly energetic performance that you will be inspired to be a part of his career for the duration of life!
Jeff Canady on Drums
Detroit native Jeff Canady found his rhythm early in life. At the age of 4, he began playing the drums and three years later his extraordinary talent led him to become a fulltime drummer at the church he attended. At 17, he co-founded Enchanted, a soulful jazz ensemble, which performed regularly throughout the city until 2006 when members went on to pursue other musical endeavors.
His energy, creativity and delivery during a performance with the ability to captivate an audience has grown his popularity to heights putting him in demand with local and major label artists. Jeff has performed with award winning artists and Grammy winners such as Phil Denny, Karen ClarkSheard, Evelyn Turrentine Agee, Al Mckenzie Tro, Jean Carne, Michael Henderson, David Myles & Myles Stones, Mark Mix Street Jazz Cartel and David McMurray Tro, Shaun LaBelle, Stokley Williams (Mint Condition), Comedian Sinbad, Alexander Zonjic, Kimmie Horne, Thornetta Davis, Julian Vaughn, Kindred The Family Soul and Nate Harasim.
He has opened for award winning artists such as Michael Franks, Chante Moore, Kenny Lattimore, Rahsaan Patterson, Rachelle Farrell and Peter White, George Duke and Stanley Clarke, Bob Baldwin, Everett Heart, Spyra Gyra, Rick Braun, Richard Elliot, Gladys Knight and Pieces Of a Dream.
He has been able to continue to grow his brand through songwriting, performing, producing and collaborating with industry greats such as David Myles, Lin Rountree and Larae Starr, Mark Mixx, Demetrius Nabors, ZanYe, Al McKenzie and Dave McMurray.
In 2009, Jeff introduced his debut CD From Heart and Soul and in 2015 he wrote, arranged and produced his sophomore project “Expression Of Me” featuring Dave McMurray and Paul Dozier. Jeff Canady continues to be a driving force in the music industry through constantly performing, touring and working on new projects.
Following the beat of his own drum early in life continues to pay off for the electrifying, multitalented musician/composer/arranger/ producer.
Kenny ‘Mac’ Martin on Bass
Kenny Mac is a proud native son of Detroit. Born and raised on the “numbered streets” close to downtown, his gut grimy playing and undeniable swagger are pulled from his life’s experiences – a dynamic mix of music, love, loss, and family intwined with time spent in the gutter and in the church.
Rising above the struggles and tension, Mac has become known as “one of the baddest bass players in the D.” His performances, whether listening to him on stage or lacing a track, are sure to leave you in the conundrum of feeling genuinely satisfied yet wanting more.
Kenny is the music director for the skyrocketing smooth jazz trumpeter Lin Rountree who is climbing the charts with each new single released. Mac has also been the bass player for the head nodding, cross genre styles of the artist known as Amp Fiddler for 15 years.
Whether touring around the world, across the U.S. or playing shows at home, Kenny Mac demonstrates the low end theory like no other. Custom made Fender Jazz Basses, SIT Strings, DR Strings and Gallien Krueger Amps make up his arsenal of funk baring tools of the trade.
He also plays upright bass, key bass and the drums, rounding out his hold on the rhythm section that drives the heart beat of a song.
Kenny writes and produces music as well so if you are in need of some Detroit driven rhythm that will make your face cringe like you were just hit by a Mac truck of funk on your next album, call on Kenny Mac to deliver the goods.
