Hugh Masekela, Oliver Mtukudzi headline 2015 Joy of Jazz festival

The first Standard Bank Joy of Jazz concert which took place at the Pretoria State Theatre, 18 years ago, was the brainchild of Peter Tladi, and incidentally featured only South African artists. And then the jazz festival moved to Newtown in Johannesburg and overseas musicians such as Lee Ritenour, Bob Baldwin, Marion Meadows and Annie Whitehead were introduced.

Eventually the flood gates opened and Ravi Coltrane, Joshua Redman, Branford Marsalis, Anat Cohen, Fourplay, Ingrid Jensen, Sadao Watanabe, Tord Gustavsen, Monty Alexander, Ramsey Lewis, Terence Blanchard, Eddie Daniels, Wynton Marsalis, the ghost bands of Count Basie and Duke Ellington and vocalists from Dee Dee Bridgewater to Stacy Kent and Nnenna Freelon and Rene Marie and Dianne Reeves to Kurt Elling and Gregory Porter have all appeared with their own groups, and that is just a few names. Of course Abdullah Ibrahim, Jonas Gwangwa, Hugh Masekela and many more African artists filled the mix.

That is one of the strong points of Joy of Jazz it not only offers some of the greatest jazz musicians from around the world, but also top artists from South Africa and the rest of the African continent.

Fast forward 18 years, the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival has been the most prestigious arena on the African Continent for live, musical excellence for musicians to display their performance skills. Joy of Jazz has hosted most of the world’s exceptionally gifted jazz practitioners – from Swing to Bebop and grandmasters to the hottest prospects of Afro-jazz and avant-garde.

This year’s Joy of Jazz will take place in Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa from September 24-26, 2015.

Over the three days musicians from the USA, UK, Italy, India, Cuba and Africa will perform.

The Standard Bank Joy of Jazz 2015 promises to be a dynamic mix of new and old ranging from the ever popular Yellow jackets to the new vocal sensation Cecile McLorin Savant who won four categories including Female Vocalist and CD of the year in the Down Beat Critic’s Poll.

The adventurous line-up includes what looks like an exciting musical experience with a trio of Italian trumpeter Paulo Fresu, who captures the haunting harmon mute sound of Miles Davis, the Indian master of percussion including tablas, and from Cuba, the world renowned pianist Omar Sosa.

For the avant-garde and free jazz enthusiasts there’s the brilliant bassist William Parker whose group includes the acclaimed drummer Hamid Drake. Staying with modern music is Dwight Trible from Los Angeles he’s sung with Bobby Hutcherson, Pharaoh Sanders and Charles Lloyd and has a vocal style that incorporates gospel and free jazz while trying to bridge the gap between races. From the UK comes trumpeter, arranger, composer Matthew Halsall whose influences include Alice Coltrane and John Coltrane.

Smoothing things out are crossover/fusion/ funky guitarist Larry Carlton, American jazz singer Dee Alexander, sweet soul singer Peabo Bryson, Danish harmonica player Lee Oskar and one of the finest electric bass players on the planet Marcus Miller and his band.

A group that looks very interesting comprises pianist/singer Estelle Kokot with American saxman Chico Freeman and South Africans Herbie Tsoaeli bass and Kevin Gibson drums.

Africa is well represented by trumpeter Prince Langoasa, who is putting together a Big Band of female musicians, The National Youth Jazz Band, Steve Dyer, Vusi Mahlasela, and some amazing and provocative pairings such as Pops Mohamed and Steve Newman with a band that includes Mabi Thobejane: Jimmy Dludlu with musicians from Mozambique and Cape Verde; Jaco Maria from Mozambique and Wanda Baloyi; The superb South African jazz pianist Nduduzo Makhahtini with Danish saxman Karl-Martin Almqvist and Cape Town trumpeter Robin Fassie Kock.

As if that is not enough, there’s also Hugh Masekela with Oliver Mtukudzi featuring the Zim Mbira Orchestra and then there’s Ray Phiri with Stimela.