Jonathan Butler: S.A maestro stuns at Jazz Fest

Jonathan Butler gave one of his most thrilling performances to date at the Nairobi Jazz Festival, leaving jazz music fans clamouring for more.

Screams of "Again! Again! Again!" filled the air as the audience insisted on hearing each song performed again.

Butler, a singer, songwriter, and guitarist from South Africa, was the featured performer at the Saturday night Jazz festival held at the Bomas of Kenya.

The International Jazz Festival had a range of beverages to go with the exquisite food, elegant attire, and sophisticated atmosphere.

Butler, a well-known performer of jazz fusions and worship songs, wowed the audience with his rendition of the hymn Holding On.

 "I'm holding on since you've been gone. I keep holding on. Holding on. Ooh baby... " the crowd sang along with Butler even as emotions took the better part of the fans.

The 62-year-old had everyone up and dancing, with some even making their way closer to the stage to follow his tunes.

Butler was on stage, but a white woman also stole some of the spotlight.

She came up on stage and started dancing, enjoying the music even though she wasn't keeping up with the beat of the songs.

She even removed her shoes at one point in order to feel more comfortable dancing.

When Butler concluded a song and transitioned to the next, the people dancing near the podium engaged in a once-in-a-lifetime rush to get a chance to shake his hands.

Butler obliged, satisfying the fervent desire of a great number of admirers to feel his hands.

The most fortunate woman was the one who grabbed the chance to perform alongside Butler on stage, hugging her musical idol in the process.

By the time Butler finished his two hours on stage, many fans were relieved that the Sh4,500 they paid to be part of the event had finally paid off.

 "This is my first time at a Jazz concert and I enjoyed it. I had never really listened to jazz, or given it a chance, but now I get it. The instrumentals were amazing," one Mary Anne Wamboi said after the show.

Elijah Simiyu who was in the company of her daughter said he was delighted to enjoy the music with his eldest. 

"Attending these jazz concerts is something we do often and we will come to the next one," he said. 

This was not the first time Butler was the headliner of a jazz festival in Kenya. In 2015, Butler headlined the Safaricom International Jazz Festival.

A quintet from Nairobi named Hornsphere, who play horns, gave another riveting performance.

A jazz rendition of Skanking Sweet, originally performed by Jamaican artist Chronixx, was played by Hornsphere, who wowed the audience.

As a part of their recently released album Formation, they also performed a jazz rendition of Rhumba, which was originally performed by the Kenyan group Wanavokali.

Following the event, Hornsphere thanked all of their supporters who had made the Jazz festival a memorable experience for them on twitter (Twitter).

"A dream turned into reality! Hornsphere and The Unit band took the stage at the Auditorium of the Bomas of Kenya for the unforgettable Nairobi International Jazz Festival. Thank you to everyone who came out to support us and made this moment truly special," Hornsphere said.

Additionally, DJ Andre performed. Jacob Asiyo, Kaima, and friends provided the event's opening acts.

Around midnight, the event came to an end, with a ladies' group named Beathogs drawing the curtains for the day.

The Twakutuza Trust, Don Julio, Safaricom, and Radio Africa Events collaborated to host the Nairobi International Jazz Festival.