Jazz bridges cultures at Abuja’s ‘Jazz Across Continents’ festival
Soulful melodies, African rhythms and international influences filled the Transcorp Hilton Abuja as musicians and jazz enthusiasts gathered for the second edition of Jazz Across Continents. The event celebrated jazz as a universal language, highlighting its African roots and its enduring role in connecting people across cultures.
The second edition of Jazz Across Continents brought together performers and music lovers for an evening of jazz at the Transcorp Hilton Abuja, showcasing the genre’s ability to transcend geographical and cultural boundaries.
The concert featured a blend of timeless jazz standards, African rhythms and global musical influences, creating an atmosphere that celebrated creativity, cultural exchange and artistic expression.
Celebrating a universal language
Host Warmate De Jazz Pianist described jazz as a form of personal expression that unites people regardless of their background.
“Jazz is an expression of individual uniqueness. It allows individuals to express their feelings through sound and music, and it cuts across regions, tribes and race,” he said.
Artist Ene echoed the sentiment, describing music as a language understood across cultures.
“It is a powerful medium and a universal language that everybody understands. Even when people do not understand the lyrics, they can still connect with the music,” she said.
Honouring African roots
Although jazz emerged in the United States in the early 20th century, its rhythmic foundations are deeply rooted in African musical traditions carried across the Atlantic through the African diaspora.
By the 1960s and 1970s, musicians across Africa had embraced jazz as a vehicle for artistic expression, blending improvisation with indigenous instruments, melodies and rhythms to create distinctive regional styles.
A genre still evolving
Today, African jazz continues to grow as a new generation of artists fuses traditional sounds with contemporary influences from around the world.
Organisers said Jazz Across Continents aims to preserve the genre’s rich heritage while providing a platform for musicians from diverse backgrounds to collaborate, inspire audiences and strengthen cultural connections through music.
