2009 Standard Bank Joy of Jazz - 10 years of world class jazz

Bob Baldwin

The first Standard Bank Joy of Jazz took place in Newtown in 2000 and featured among others US jazz maestros saxophonist Marion Meadows and pianist Bob Baldwin who will be proudly returning to this year's event.

The festival attracted an audience of 2 000 in its first year and year on year, numbers have grown to over 20 000 attending the 2008 event.

The acts that Standard Bank, in conjunction with promoters T Musicman, have brought to Johannesburg audiences in the last 10 years have been memorable.

Greats who have performed include Keiko Matsui, Joe Sample, Earl Klugh, Dave Koz, Jamie Callum, Hugh Masekela, Lee Ritenour, Abdullah Ibrahim, Dianne Reeves, Joshua Redman, Ramsey Lewis, Branford Marsalis, Delfeayo Marsalis and The Count Basie Orchestra.

Artists have have come from around the globe - from Japan, the US, the UK, Israel, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Spain and France

However, the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz has also consistently showcased the country's own homegrown talent- including Concord Nkabinde, Jimmy Dludlu, Shannon Mowday and Siphokazi. Many like Abigail Khubeka, Jonathan Butler, Johnny Clegg, Letta Mbulu, Caiphus Semenya, Thandie Klaasen,Jonas Gwangwa and the late Miriam Makeba have needed no introduction.

In recent years, the African Diaspora has also been represented with performances from Nigeria's Kúnlé Ayo, Lagbaja and Asa; Swaziland's Bholoja; Zimbabwean Sam Mtukudzi with Max Wild; Kenya's Valerie Kimani and the DRC's Afro Fiesta.

In this way the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz has contributed to the cultural exchange between artists and many international performers have met their local counterparts and subsequently collaborated on various projects.

Importantly, the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz has also seen a phenomenal growth in the number of developing jazz artists who have been given exposure and a platform to perform before discerning audiences. While upcoming bands have been performing at the event since 2000, the quality over the years has improved. A formal relationship was established with the Gauteng Provincial Government's Puisano project in 2008 to allow 10 bands to appear on both the main stages as well as the fringe venues.

Clement Motale, Director Group Sponsorship, Standard Bank comments on the 10 year milestone: “2009 marks a very special celebration for Standard Bank. Our commitment to bringing world-class jazz to Johannesburg audiences, and our involvement as sponsor in this last decade has helped create one of South Africa's seminal music events.

“We are enormously proud to have played a part in the wonderful collaboration and celebration of jazz in the heart of Johannesburg, that is the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz. We extend our gratitude to our partners T-Musicman - for their continued support of, and partnership with, Standard Bank, and to the audiences who have loyally continued to support this annual jazz-travaganza.”

Festival executive producer Peter Tladi is delighted with the growth over the last 10 years: “The Standard Bank Joy of Jazz is a living testimony of the positive contributions that the creative industries make in the city, the province and the country. We have successfully grown audiences, given artists a world-class platform to entertain, and put together a product that hits the right spot with music lovers, media, sponsors and government. We hope the next 10 years will see further growth, locally, in the continent and globally.”

The staging of the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival in the Newtown Precinct has played an integral part in the regeneration of the inner city, having had significant benefits in helping to shape the future of Johannesburg, and contributing to the city's changing creative and cultural landscape.