Tribute concert for jazz legend Dr John Mekoa still happening

KwaThema – Dovola Mabena and Mthuthuzeli Ntalo (organisers) would like to apologise to patrons of the B3 Jazz and Soul Picnic which was set to happen on January 1 at the KwaThema Stadium.

The event is in honour of the late Dr John Mekoa, an East Rand-born jazz legend who died in July 2017.

Following a request from the Mekoa family, the event was postponed to March. An event of even greater magnitude is planned.

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“We will still have the artists in the original line-up including Ringo Madlingozi, Vusi Nova, Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse, and the Music Academy of Gauteng Orchestra,” says Dovola Mabena.

The Music Academy of Gauteng Orchestra comes from the school Mekoa founded in 1994 under the same name.

Mekoa, who held honorary doctorates from UNISA and the University of Pretoria and the National Order of Ikhamanga Silver, was a lover of jazz music and started the South African Jazz Educators’ Network. He did the groundwork in starting the Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Festival at the annual National Arts Festival in Makhanda.

Jazz artists from the Monk Molelekwa Academy, run by legend Jerry “Monk” Molelekwa, will also be performing at the tribute event.

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The organisers say this is because the event is to also showcase the great talent of young jazz artists and the work they do in the academies.

Ntalo says that people who have tickets to the event, which is held in partnership with the Ekurhuleni municipality, B3 Funeral Services and Workerslife Insurance, can return them for a full refund or keep them as those tickets will allow them entry to the event in March.

The new date will be announced before March with possible additions to the line-up.

For more information, contact the organisers Mabena on 073 243 6631 or Ntalo on 065 168 0026.