Festival brings international jazz stars to Pretoria
Makhathini, an award-winning jazz artist, has worked with the likes of Thandiswa Mazwai.
The inaugural Tshwane international big band festival was a hit, said festival-goers and jazz lovers.
The two-day jazz event featuring the biggest jazz greats was held at Freedom Park recently.
South Africa’s jazz maestro, Nduduzo Makhathini told Rekord that he was happy to be part of the event.
“Being here, playing to especially Pretoria’s jazz lovers is the best thing,” he said.
Makhathini is an award-winning jazz artist who worked with Thandiswa Mazwai on her latest album, Belede.
The first ever annual jazz festival was organised by the Jazz Foundation of SA in partnership with the National Lotteries Commission, 702 and Tiso Blackstar to give jazz lovers in Pretoria the best sounds.
Jazz Foundation of SA said the festival was aimed at transforming live music entertainment in South Africa.
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“The big band concept is based on a model that brings together groups of accomplished, world-class headline artists, both local and international,” it said.
The festival featured a hot line-up of local jazz musicians Caiphus Semenya, Madala Kunene, Herbie Tsoaeli, Simphiwe Dana, Nduduzo Makhathini, Feya Faku, and Marcus Wyatt. Performing alongside them on the two stages over the two-day festival were a foreign contingent comprising US artists Stefon Harris, Salim Washington, and Kenny Garrett as well as Dutch national Paul van Kamenade.
The stars were accompanied by a band drawn from local musicians such as the Jazz Foundation Big Band.
Jazz Foundation of SA CEO Oupa Salemane said the festival augured well for the city of Tshwane.
“The event will not only breathe a new lease of life into the city’s cultural calendar but will indeed boost the city’s international profile, boost tourism, offer a desperately needed fillip to the economy and contribute to job creation,” he said.
More than 2 000 jazz lovers braved the rainy weather and filled the 500-seater indoor hall and the 2000-seater amphitheatre.
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