International jazz musicians join local legends at the ninth annual Johannesburg Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival, which is again taking place at a number of Newtown venues.

Aspirant musicians are encouraged to enrol for a series of free workshops facilitated by the Standard Bank Young Artist Award

OVER the years the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz festival has become synonymous with scorching performances, and this year promises to be no exception.

The festival line up has been announced, and it features world-renowned artists from countries as diverse as Japan and Norway. As always, there will be a synthesis of eclectic sounds, incorporating rhythm and blues with Afropop and fusion, and Latin American rhythms with bebop.

International jazz musicians - from the United States, Germany, Holland, Japan, Israel, Norway, Spain and Nigeria - will collaborate with some of the best the local market has to offer, all on a mission to provide sizzling entertainment.

Scheduled to take place in eight Newtown venues, the festival marks its ninth anniversary this year. It runs from Thursday, 28 to Saturday, 30 August. Sponsored by the commercial bank, Standard Bank, and organised and promoted by T-Musicman, Joy of Jazz has the full backing of the City's department of arts, culture and heritage services, and the Gauteng provincial government.

Speaking at the event's launch on Wednesday, 18 June, the Gauteng MEC for sports, arts, culture, and recreation, Barbara Creecy, said that the Johannesburg Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival was a prestigious and leading event.

It was expected to draw large crowds. "We believe that our relationship with other stakeholders has helped to grow the event from 12 342 in 2004, to over 22 000 spectators in 2007," she said, adding that this year's line up was further proof that the festival was of an international standard.

Home of jazz
The provincial government endorsed the festival because it supported the province's vision of building a globally competitive city region. "The international reputation of Joy of Jazz is growing and as the province we want to use that to grow the Gauteng ‘home of jazz' brand," Creecy explained.

Japan's Keiko Matsui is one of the international jazz greats billed to perform

Japan's Keiko Matsui, Tom Browne, Wayne Henderson, American saxophonist Joshua Redman, Germany's Joy Denelane and Norway's Tord Gustavsen are among a host of international artists on the bill.

"This year we have tried to listen to what people want, and you will be delighted that we will be offering them exactly that," said Peter Tlali of T-Musicman.

Announcing the line up, Tlali said that his company had searched for quality artists who would appeal to a broad base of music fans.

Renowned locals who will fuel the contemporary jazz line-up include the legendary Abigail Kubheka, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Simphiwe Dana, Pat Matshikiza and Mark Fransman, the 2008 Standard Bank Young Artist Award winner for jazz.

Venues
As always, it takes place on different stages across Newtown, Joburg's cultural precinct. Among them are the Mbira Stage, where the opening night takes place. The Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra will perform on the night with South African jazz greats such as Hugh Masekela, Jonas Gwangwa and Caiphus Semenya.

Simphiwe Dana is one of the key attractions of the festival

Matsui is also on the bill for the opening night, performing with a South African all-star band and American saxophonist Jackiem Joyner.

Other venues are the Market Theatre, Sophiatown, Nikki's Oasis, the Bassline, Dance Factory and Museum Afrika. The Dinaledi Stage will be constructed on Mary Fitzgerald Square, alongside the Mbira Stage.

"The 2008 Standard Bank Joy of Jazz brings an array of quality jazz to satisfy all tastes across the jazz genre, which should appeal to jazz lovers around the country," reads a press statement.

Tlali expanded on the promise. "We want to present a diverse range of jazz styles as well as the giants of jazz and the upcoming young lions. There is something for everyone with this year's line-up, which is truly international and inspirational."

And in a win for those of us feeling the financial pinch, Tlali said that although prices had soured across the board, ticket prices for the shows would stay the same as last year, ranging from R280 to R380.

Free shows
Entrance to several of the venues, such as Museum Afrika, Sophiatown and Nikki's Oasis, will be free. Here budding bands will perform. They include students from the Central Johannesburg College, the George Tabor School of Music, the Music Academy of Gauteng and the Tshwane University of Technology's School of Music.

Pat Matshikiza is one of the renowned locals expected to fuel the contemporary jazz line-up

Young and aspirant musicians have also been encouraged to enrol for a series of free workshops, which will be facilitated by the Standard Bank Young Artist Award winners Mark Fransman (2008), Shannon Mowday (2007) and Concorde Nkabinde (2006). International musicians will also take part.

The workshops have been tailored to grow the genre, and will take place at the Bassline in Newtown from Monday, 25 to Friday, 29 August.

Organisers have warned that tight security will be in place during the festival, and some streets that link the city centre and Newton will be blocked to traffic between 6pm and 2am on show days.

Secure park-and-ride facilities will be available from the Oriental Plaza, in Fordsburg. Revellers can park their vehicles there and will be ferried to the venues free of charge.

American saxophonist Jackiem Joyner is billed to blow the storm on the opening night

There are a limited number of tickets available with a 15 percent discount for all Standard Bank customers until the end of June. However, the offer is not available for online bookings.

For the first time, the organisers have introduced a day-pass, allowing audience members to move between performances at the Dinaledi Stage and the Mbira Stage on 29 and 30 August.

The ninth annual Johannesburg Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival runs from Thursday, 28 to Saturday, 30 August. Tickets range in price from R280 to R380, at any Computicket outlet, on 083 915 8000 or through the Computicket website.

For more information, visit the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz website or the T-Musicman website.

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