‘The Legacy Now’: Lisa brings soulful jazz to Lagos Easter weekend
By Godwin Okondo
WHILE alive, the American pianist, singer, songwriter and civil rights activist, Nina Simone, touched lives and impacted the world with her creative ingenuity, particularly great music in the jazz genre. Although long gone, she has passed on her torch of creative genius to her own daughter, Lisa. It’s a worthy legacy any great talent and parent would want to leave behind, to raise a protégé or mentees who will pass on the torch of genius.
That is exactly what Nina Simone had done. Now gone, Lisa, her daughter, has comfortably taken over her space and is doing well, in her own right as a musician.
Lisa, Grammy and Oscar nominee, multiple award-winning musician, and A-list actress, is coming to Nigeria to showcase her incredible talent, amid huge anticipation by music lovers, especially the jazz genre.
Lisa is coming Lagos this Easter weekend to offer the ever-bubbling city a different kind of energy; slow pace excitement. From April 5-6, 2026, the great talent will enliven Lagos differently, cooling the city a little bit down with slow and smooth sailing jazz, while infusing the Lagos music scene with jazz currently dominated by Afrobeats.
The exclusive jazz showcase is also happening in an exclusive environment at Oti’s Lagos, a haven for jazz music genre and for those who cherish life on a slow pace. The Oti’s Jazz Bistro, located at Abimbola Awoniyi Close, in Victoria Island Lagos, is simply a perfect setting to host Lisa and jazz lovers this Easter in a two-day jazz show tagged ‘The Legacy Now’.
But Lisa is not doing the Easter gig alone. She would be joined by some local, but internationally acclaimed hands here in Nigeria to entertain jazz fans at the show. Notable among the gifted local hands is Philip Uzo, who is going to be the director of music for Lisa Simone’s performance.
Lisa
Uzo, a product of MUSON music school, who also teaches music, will lead others to enhance performances and jazz offerings at the two-day show. However, credit goes to Oti Bazunu, founder, Lagos Jazz Series, who for decades has been promoting jazz and bringing all the big jazz artists to perform in Nigeria.
The 70-year-old jazz promoter is using Lisa Simone’s show to spotlight the jazz genre once again, and is intentional at bringing back the Lagos Jazz Series, which has not been at its best after nine successful editions.
Bazunu is ready for Lisa, for jazz lovers and for Lagos this Easter. Considering that he was able to continually bring renowned jazz artists like Hugh Masakela, Fourplay, Bob James, and Roy Hargrove to Lagos at the peak of the jazz series, he is also set to replicate such feats again this Easter. The jazz promoter, who lived much of his life in New York, explained the rationale for the Easter show and the reason for bringing Lisa to perform in Lagos.
“Lisa will be here. We are set to enliven Lagos with a different kind of energy. I mean Jazz, which is cooler and more relaxing. It will slow the pace of things in this environment,” he said.
According to him, the show is all about promoting jazz, encouraging jazz artists here and pointing to many where the jazz genre resides and can be enjoyed in the very busy Lagos cosmopolitan city. The show will also be a veritable platform to create awareness about Oti’s Place, the venue, as an exclusive hub for jazz.
“This is a place where we can come and salvage and relax ourselves,” he said. “Lagos is a very stressful city, as we know. But jazz will relax it a bit. Oti’s Place is bringing back the experience and Lisa is ready to make this happen”.
Speaking on the choice of Lisa, whose son is also a musician, Bazunu said that creativity runs in her blood, being the daughter of Nina Simone, who is considered as the ‘Mother of Jazz’ as well as considering her incredible outputs in the music world beyond the jazz genre.
“She is a world artist, Grammy nominated, Oscar, and all of them,” he said.
Lisa is as consummate an artist as any world superstar today. Of course, if the measure is Grammy, she has been there twice, so she is not a small gig and it is a good chance for Lagos to witness this kind of artist.”
“We don’t get them like this here all the time and they are just driven by the culture of using music to cool your tempo”.
“She is very excited, especially on seeing the poster we made for the show, she forwarded it to her webmaster for more publicity,” The jazz promoter, who considers himself as a retired old man, also said, noting with excitement that Lisa is full of anticipation for the Lagos show.
He also assured that while Lisa headlines the show, there will be many others entertaining across the two-day show. “We have a Nigerian band, a musician from Nigeria, local boys if you want to call them, but these are gifted hands. One of them is Phillip Uzo, who is also the director of Lisa’s performance here in Lagos. He is consummate with his music”.
The Lagos jazz show will also offer Bazunu the opportunity to pair local breeds with international artists, initiating a collaboration that will see to music tours and co-productions in the near future.
“The level of music of these international artists, especially jazz, is quite high. Our artists need the mix and exposure to further their craft,” he explained.
On the expectations, he noted that good music all have jazz as a base, hence the Easter show will feature good music, but for the most part, will lean towards jazz.
Moreover, Oti’s Place will be very much open after hosting the Easter jazz show for good music, and jazz for the most part. Concluding, Bazunu noted that there would be live performances at Oti’s Place, especially on Fridays, offering easy, tranquil and quality ways to entertain anyone who’s not a club freak.
