As we draw closer to International Jazz Day 2024, many festival goers are headed to various music festivals and gatherings which, we have been talking about here on the k jazz show, including the cape town international jazz festival which takes place this week. And as part of the run up to this gathering we are joined by one of the acts that will …

In what is shaping up to be one of the best line-ups in a history of outstanding programmes, the Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) is pulling out all the stops to ensure that its comeback on 3 and 4 May 2024, is one to be enjoyed and remembered. Staying true to its roots of providing the performance space for a mixture of established an…

A dynamic jazz ensemble from Stellenbosch in the Western Cape is on the rise. This quintet has been around to almost a year, and already has already made a considerable impact on the jazz scenes of Stellenbosch and Cape Town. They believe in authenticity and embracing each other’s the diverse backgrounds, creating a unique musical experience. Piani…

Extraordinary” Jazz musician, pianist and composer, who is considered a leading exponent of ‘Cape Jazz’ and has worked with a number of top shelf musicians, including Robbie Jansen, McCoy Mrubata, and Terumasa Hino. Ramon Alexander has two albums to his credit and has produced several recording projects, he is an educator in jazz piano and currentl…

Our musical guest this week, released his second project “I Am, Who Am” which was a follow up from the debut album One Step' Forward which he released in 2004. This album talks about his musical experience and the journey that he travelled up to this point. It is a project that gave him more insight of how the industry works not just as a performer…

McCoy Mrubata is a South African elder in Jazz, Saxophonist,Flautist, Composer and Bandleader whose new album hits the scene on the 5th of April 2024 and, I spent some time with him and we reflected about his life in Jazz, the new project and what you can look forward to in this new chapter he calls “ Lullaby for Khayoyo”…

Our guest is a talented atmospheric pianist, producer and educator who’s worked with Lawrence Matshiza, Hugh Masekela including the popular band Stimela and has also released solo projects of his own. Fascinated by the IsiSwati rhythm heritage, he wants to fuse this with with modern technology to further elevate the African sonic to a place where t…

From Johannesburg to Mali to Detroit, Our next guest has placed her musical execution in understanding the history and sonic of South Africa and the African diaspora. With jazz as her training, she is highly revered for her graceful and dynamic performances, also her unique ability to authentically connect with any audiences Spent time as a student…

Tembisa born and TUT alumni Trumpeter Michael Nkuna is no stranger to the Gauteng Jazz circuit, in fact we’ve seen him on perform alongside Iphupho l’ka Biko, Mthunzi Mvubu, Moses Sebula and just yesterday with guitar virtuoso Billy Monama. He says he is one who likes to do things instead of talking about them, preferring to let the horn speak for …

Two weeks ago, we played for the very first time here on the show, a brand new track “Uyivile” off the upcoming release Enhlizweni; Songs from my heartland by a gentleman who has been around for the many seasons of Jazz in Southern Africa and really needs no introduction. He formed the group Souther Freeway in 1988, was part of the Amandla cultural…

Artistic Director for the Journey to Jazz festival 2024, Pianist Kyle Shepherd stops by the show to talk about the full artist line up, the festival’s masterclasses and celebrating the pianist and the piano as a stalwart of South African Jazz. This SundayAutor: Ngwako Malakalaka

The Transatlantic Jazz Exchange is a newly formed project that aims to foster artistic growth, promote cross-cultural understanding, and create lasting bonds between musicians from Africa (Cape Town, Johannesburg) and the African Diaspora (New York) thereby bringing these marginalized communities together. We spoke to Activist Nasia Seria and Jazz …

Ropeadope has announced a new strategic partnership with City Of Gold Arts to launch AfricArise, a new label group focusing on the art and music of Africa. With a vision of representing artists from South Africa and beyond who are documenting their African heritage while fully embracing contemporary styles. Here to talk to us about this exciting ne…

Balimaya Project, is a London-based 16 piece collective, uniquely fusing West-African folkloric music and jazz. Formed in 2019 by percussionist Yahael Camara Onono, The word Balimaya from the Maninka language, means the essence of kinship.. and is engrained in the moral fabric of the Mande people, which is what inspires Balimaya’s mission. The coll…

For hour Africa this Sunday we take a moment to remember another son of the soil who has since transitioned. Cape Town based Multi instrumentalist Tony Cedras was a member of Pacific Express Spirits Rejoice, Oswetie, and the Medu Art Ensemble. His path also led him to spend 3 decades in the US eventually returning home in 2013. Admired internationa…

Using Jazz as a vehicle, for social transformation and development, the Journey to Jazz Team delivered an incredible 5 day event that included masterclasses, food and lifestyle events including a stellar musical line up and the festival was attended by the audiences coming all the way from Johannesburg and Cape Town. So, the festival is back once a…

Page Three this afternoon we had a special guest joins this afternoon, he comes to us from Cuba by the way of Miami, Alfredo Rodríguez, is a cuban pianist, composer and bandleader who is a grammy nominee and has been mentored by musician and timeless producer Quincy Jones. As we wrap up the final instalment of our feature #TheCoverStory for 2023, w…

Mark Fransman who also goes by the name of Sonik Citizen, has a new project, one that seeks to celebrate and pay tribute to the musicians that has mentored him over the years we sat down with Mark and walked through his musical timeline and as he gets ready for the Johannesburg leg of this new body of work.…

Meet guitar virtuoso from Soweto, Bonginkosi Zondo has collaborated with a number of ,musicians during his career, most notably he is also the guitarist for vocalist Samthing Soweto. Nkosi Zondo has released his debut album Bopehlo Batho Pele and this morning he joined us to talk more about this new body of work and we get to listen closer to the m…

Born and raised amidst the rich tapestry of South African culture, she was influenced by her parent's love for music which ignited her lifelong pursuit of sonic exploration Thandeka Dladla hails from Johannesburg and now based in Cape Town, is the lead vocalist for a Jazz collective known as “The Unity Band. And now she has released her own Solo ef…

Cape Town based, Italian singer and songwriter, Francesca Biancoli strives for authenticity in the music she creates. Drawing from her lived experiences, her work reflects the daring and explorative style and approach to music, a contemporary melting of Jazz and Neo-Soul, offering audiences a fun and original sound. Francesca’s origins are influenc…

José James, a Jazz vocalist for the Hip Hop generation as our cover story. He joins us from Los Angeles this afternoon as our cover story and he chats to us about his latest project, On and On, The music of Erykah Badu where he pays tribute to the Neo Soul,Poet and World Famous musician by re-imaging some of her biggest compositions. Still on that,…

Tenor Saxophonist , composer and Bandleader James Brandon Lewis who possesses an inspiring energy, his curiosity and the thrill he gets from discovery are key aspects of his personality. Over the last half decade, James has emerged as one of the most exciting figures in jazz and improvised music. So we explore this with him as he is currently in Mo…

Phi-Psonics is a meditative, immersive jazz group from Los Angeles, led by bassist Seth Ford-Young. Their deeply soulful music draws on jazz and classical influences together with Ford-Young’s own musical experiences, relationships, and his introduction to spirituality, yoga and philosophy at a young age to create something uniquely its own. From t…

Sun Xa Experiment is an Ancestral spiritual Avant garde out the box group hailing from Gauteng and Durban South Africa born in 2014. Their name is derived from the histories of Sun Ra's Arkestra and their collaboration with South African Spiritual Jazz Legend Ndikho Xaba including the Khoisan interpretation of Ra which means "Out" Who have just ret…

We Are Sent Here By History is the follow up to Wisdom of Elders the debut project from Shabaka and the Ancestors who are an afrocentric jazz ensemble and brought us hits like “Go my heart, Joyous and Mzwandile. The ensemble is made up of British musician Shabaka Hutchings, Siya Mthembu Ariel Zamonsky, Tumi Mogorosi, Mthunzi Mvubu including Gontse …

Our guest this Sunday is a surrealist blues poet, storyteller, educator and organizer born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. She is the youngest winner of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe Grand Slam poetry award and follows in the legacy and tradition of poets participating and assembling in social movements. Her first full collection of poems is titled, My Moth…

Our guest this Sunday is born on Chicago’s west side, Dee Alexander is one of the city's most gifted and respected vocalist/songwriters. Her talents span every music genre, from Gospel to R&B, Blues to Neo-Soul. Growing up in a household steeped in recordings of Dinah Washington; Ms. Alexander names Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, and Chicago saxop…

The Joy of Jazz Festival is fast approaching, takes place in Johannesburg on the 29th and 30th of September. The exciting line up this year features Andreas Vollenweider who is a Swiss harpist and is categorised as a new-age musician and uses a modified electroacoustic harp of his own design. He has worked with Bobby McFerrin, Carly Simon, Luciano …

Today's conversation is inspired by women who have consistently defined themselves as artists and pioneers in the music field, having played second fiddle to their male counterparts, they have been denied interviews and conversations about their journeys in music. So our next guest was then commissioned to tell these remarkable journeys in a book c…

The mbira, also known as mbila sansa, kilembe, likembe, dipela or thumb piano is an ancient musical instrument closely associated with the natural landscape in which the Shona people of Zimbabwe come from This morning we walk further along the trail of this uniquely African lamellophone and we are joined by Mpiwa Gwindi France based Zimbabwean perf…

CEO Louis Marks began his career in a family owned business, gaining time, friends, and experience from the warehouse floor to the New York Stock Exchange. It was in 2005, at perhaps the lowest point in the recorded music business, Marks purchased Ropeadope and began a new phase. Ropeadope has released over 600 albums during this time - a curated c…

Sibusiso Mash Mashiloane is a Durban-based, multi-award winning South African pianist and composer of remarkable skill and passion, he is hailed as an authority on South African music. And since 2016, has released an album a year, winning 6 awards and being nominated for 8 more, including the SAMAs, Urban Music, Mzantsi Jazz and AFRIMA Awards. He h…

Our guest on the show this Sunday is an accomplished American jazz musician who under the tutelage of his father, Warren Wolf Sr., started music studies at the age of three, learning the vibraphone, marimba, drums, and piano. Studied classical music at the Baltimore School for the Arts and later went to the Berklee College of Music, where he studie…

Our guest this Sunday was Born in Tokyo, Japan, raised musically in New York and she is a pianist/composer. Yayoi Ikawa is an experience in ingenuity and compassion, using music as a powerful communicational tool, she strives to lift up humanity through understanding and encouraging herself and others. She was recently in South Africa as a headline…

Our guest this sunday is Jordi Pujol he is the founder and executive producer from the jazz label Fresh Sound New Talent, a label that has had the privilege of recording some of the best contemporary jazz musicians. Renowned artists like Brad Mehldau, The Bad Plus, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Jeremy Pelt, Robert Glasper, and Avishai Cohen are some of the nam…

Tembisa born New York based Kabelo Boy Mokhatla is a multi-talented artist, excelling as a drummer, composer, arranger, and performer. It is under the tutelage of Jazz Drummer, Composer and Bandleader Kendrick Scott, at the Manhattan School of Music, that Kabelo has been exposed to the various aspects and disciplines of drumming, which lead to sign…

iPhupho L'ka Biko is a Johannesburg-based Pan Africanist band. The collective was formed in 2015 by bassist and composer Nhlanhla Ngqaqu. The members of the band met in Braamfontein, where they frequently interacted through school ensembles, jam sessions, and circular live music venues. The band although founded years earlier is heavily influenced …

Vocalist Titi Luzipo who has become a household name in the jazz and afro soul circles of South Africa. A student of music specialising in Jazz Performance and has shared the stages and worked closely with local and international musicians such as Feya Faku, Gloria Bosman, Judith Sephuma, Tsepo Tsola, Caiphus Semenya, grammy award winning George Be…

South African writer, lyricist, composer, director, choreographer and theatre producer, from in KwaZulu-Natal. He wrote the multi-award-winning musical Sarafina! and co-wrote the multi-award-winning Woza Albert! Mbongeni Ngema distinguished himself as a renowned playwright, screenwriter and librettist and has some news he would like to share with u…

Benjamin Jeptha has made name for himself as one of South Africa’s premier double and electric bass players. A graduate of the Jazz programme in Cape Town in 2013 and has performed both nationally and internationally with notable South Africa Jazz musicians. Benjamin has received many nominations and awards which include the prestigious Standard Ba…

Drummer Asher Gamedze explores relationships of time between music and history on his new album Turbulence and Pulse Following his critically-acclaimed debut album Dialectic Soul which was released at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in July 2020. Turbulence and Pulse takes its title from this moment of synchronicities. Inspired by this descript…

The City of eThekwini is preparing to host jazz enthusiasts that who will be attending the inaugural KZN International Jazz Festival at the Durban Station, on Saturday 3rd of June. This highly anticipated event is organized by Sagiya Foundation in association with the KZN Jazz Appreciators Association. So this Sunday, we managed to catch up with CE…

It was in September of 2021, where multi award winning South African guitarist Vuma Levin was named as the Standard Bank Young artist for jazz. To this end he undertook to create a work to commensurate with the scale of this achievement. The resulting product is his new album titled The Past is Unpredictable: Only the Future is Certain. The project…

Celebrating a life that was indeed cut too short, Renowed and celebrated South African jazz musician Musa Manzini transitioned this past week and we stopped here this morning to remember and reflect on the life and times of this South African. We were joined in the conversation by Bassist Benjamin Jeptha Broadcaster Mmatsheko Mosito Thespian Clint …

Every last Sunday of the month, Record label boss, Jazz Collector, Critic and Music Writer Ray Maseko joins us to co present our Jazz magazine feature: " It has to be Jazz with Ray Maseko". This month we spot light: The music of an unusual match-up that works pretty well. it proves to be an inspiration, as each player taught the other new music, an…

Accomplished journalist, broadcaster, and community organizer Brenda Sisane is a recognisable name to jazz listeners globally, she takes on the reigns as creative director for the Journey to Jazz festival which is set in the picturesque town of Prince Albert in the Western Cape She stopped by the show to chat all about this exciting festival.…

Kujenga is an afrojazz band based in Cape Town, South Africa. The word kujenga – meaning “build” or “create” in KiSwahili - symbolises the band’s belief in their calling as musicians; to build and create meaningful experiences with every single listener. The band consists of a four piece rhythm section featuring Owethu Ndwandwe on lead vocals and k…

Every last Sunday of the month, Record label boss, Jazz Collector, Critic and Music Writer Ray Maseko joins us to co present our Jazz magazine feature: " It has to be Jazz with Ray Maseko". This month we spot light: The music of Ghanaian Hi Life Jazz musician Gyedu Bley Amboulley, New music on the horizon with South African vocalist Paras Dlamini, …

Karén Devroop is one of South Africa’s leading saxophonists having performed with most of South Africa’s leading jazz, classical and POP artists. He has collaborated with an impressive list of artists from the USA, Netherlands, Germany, Venezuela, Canada, Italy, Thailand, Brazil, Uruguay, Mexico, Mauritius and the Seychelles He has appeared as a si…