Celebrate music at the National Jazz Festival Makhanda

Image supplied: Benjamin Jephta will play with his band including fellow Standard Bank Young Artist for Jazz, Sisonke Xonti (2020)

Jazz has always been an essential part of the National Arts Festival and promises to be a big drawcard for audiences who have missed the live experience of jazz. The lockdown years have been particularly hard on musicians who always rely heavily on concerts and gigs, often at festivals, for their livelihoods.

National Arts Festival CEO, Monica Newton, said, “It's a much-needed reunion for jazz musicians who will once again gather together to jam, collaborate and share. With a big focus on local talent and local jazz excellence, the 35th National Jazz Festival Makhanda has assembled an exciting programme of artists from across SA. Our celebration of jazz this year is bitter-sweet; as musicians once again take to the stage of the Festival to engage with live audiences for the first time in two years, we will also be remembering and celebrating lives lost during the pandemic”

What to expect at the 48th National Arts Festival

5 Apr 2022

The National Youth Jazz Festival brings together talented, young musicians from across South Africa and through the programme, some 300 plus young musicians from schools, universities and informal institutions around the country are able to meet and connect with successful and diverse jazz musicians. These young musicians also audition for the National Youth Jazz Band - a springboard that has helped shape the careers of artists like Kesivan Naidoo, Siya Makuzeni, Tutu Puoane and Kyle Shepherd. Many of these musicians in turn mentor younger musicians and so the circle continues.

Image supplied: AusTebza joins the line-up at the 2022 National Jazz Festival Makhanda

National Jazz Festival Makhanda curator Alan Webster pointed out that the programme has a strong line-up of younger jazz artists and, although the headlines are filled with young South African jazz artists, excellent musicians from Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Romania, Britain and Spain will be collaborating with them for this very special celebration of jazz.

A quick look at the 2022 National Jazz Festival programme

24 June

AusTebza at DSG Hall at 8.30pm.

25 June

AusTebza at DSG Hall at 5pm.
Eastern Cape Jazz Tribute at DSG Hall at 12pm.
Dumza Maswana at DSG Hall at 8.30pm.

26 June

Eastern Cape Jazz Tribute at DSG Hall at 12pm.
Dumza Maswana at DSG Hall at 5pm.

27 June

Mthunzi Mvubu Quartet at DSG Hall at 5pm.

Image supplied: Mbuso Khosa is on the line-up at the 2022 National Jazz Festival Makhanda

28 June

Sibusiso Mashiloane: Six Years of Sounding Home at DSG Hall at 12pm.
Outeniqua High School (George) at DSG Auditorium at 2pm.
Mats-Up featuring Mbuso Khoza at DSG Hall at 5pm.
Stellenbosch University Gig Band at DSG Auditorium at 7pm.
Xavi Torres Vicente Trio at DSG Hall at 8.30pm.
Jam session led by Murray Buitendag at DSG Auditorium from 28 June - 1 July at 10pm.

29 June

Durban High School at DSG Auditorium at 2pm.
Standard Bank Young Artist for Jazz - Vuma Levin I at DSG Hall at 5pm.
SACS (Cape Town) at DSG Auditorium at 7pm.
Bokani Dyer Trio at DSG Hall at 8.30pm.
Jam session led by Justin Bellairs at 10pm.

30 June

Mats-Up featuring Mbuso Khoza at DSG Hall at 12pm.
Parel Vallei (Somerset West) at DSG Auditorium at 2pm.
Benjamin Jephta - 'Born-Coloured; not Born-free' at DSG Hall at 5pm.
UCT Little Big Band at DSG Auditorium at 7pm.
Bernard van Rossum Quartet + Big Band at DSG Hall at 8.30pm.
Jam session led by Mandla Mlangeni at DSG Auditorium at 10pm.

Image supplied: 2021 Standard Bank Young Artist for Jazz, Vuma Levin, will perform two shows at the National Jazz Festival Makhanda

1 July

Youth Jazz Vocal Celebration at DSG Hall at 12pm.
Nick Ford Project (Cape Town) at DSG Auditorium at 2pm.
Tutu Puoane at DSG Hall at 5pm.
Rondebosch Boys’High School (Cape Town) at DSG Auditorium at 7pm.
Standard Bank Young Artist for Jazz – Vuma Levin II at DSG Hall at 8.30pm.
Jam session led by Sakhile Simani at DSG Auditorium at 10pm.

2 July

National Schools Jazz Band at DSG Hall at 12pm.
Little Giants (Cape Town) at DSG Auditorium at 2pm.
National Youth Jazz Band at DSG Hall at 5pm.
Stirling Big Band (East London) at DSG Auditorium at 7pm.
Kyle Shepherd Quartet at DSG Hall at 8.30pm.

The National Jazz Festival Makhanda's programme can be found and bookings can be made here.