Celebrating New Years Day with a jazz picnic

The picnic also celebrated their 10th annual jazz session that they normally hold at the Ndaba Tree in KwaThema.

Founder Dovola Mabena explains that they moved the sessions to the KwaThema Stadium because their audience grew and they therefore needed a bigger venue to accommodate the crowd.

“We are very happy that our community supports our efforts of giving them good jazz music and a place where they can come and relax while listening to jazz music.

“These sessions wouldn’t have been a success without the jazz lovers who continuously come and support us,” he says.

Thabile Gumede says she has been coming to the jazz sessions for some years now and is never disappointed as the music is always good.

“We appreciate that jazz is still growing strong in our community and with such jazz sessions that are held, it means we will still enjoy jazz music for years to come,” says Gumede.

The KwaThema Jazz Ensemble and Badimo Jazz Band from Pretoria graced the stage to perform both old jazz classics and their own material.

Mabena says the jazz picnic is growing every year and they hope to bring big names in the industry to come and perform at the picnics.

“We looking at bringing international jazz artists to come and be part of the sessions and treat our audience to a live jazz festival,” says Mabena.