Jazz lovers are in for a musical feast to close Arts Alive

Alexandra may be a yester-year powerhouse of jazz music, but the vibrant spirit of that genre still lives in many of the township’s folk.

It is for this reason that lovers of the music genre have been called upon to trek all the way to the Jazz in the Lights Music Festival that will take place at the Joburg Zoo on December 16.

“We want the Alexandra residents to rekindle the memories of years gone by when the musical voices of the likes of Alexandra artists such as Caiphus Semenya, Hugh Masekela, Zacks Nkosi, Letta Mbuli to name just a few, reverberated in their minds on the mere mention of the word jazz,” said organiser Peter Tladi of T-Musicman.

ALSO READ: Jazz and art transcend language and culture in Sam Nhlengethwa’s work

Making the call, Tladi said Jazz in the Lights Music Festival will offer residents of this iconic pioneering jazz township in the country a chance to rekindle old memories and relive the festival spectacle feasts of yesteryears as it closes the Arts Alive International Arts Festival’s 30th-anniversary celebration in grand style.

The past two years had a significant yet adverse impact on the arts industry, and as physical gatherings have opened again – the Jazz in the Lights Music Festival creates an exciting opportunity for families across Johannesburg and other parts of the province and country to come together and once again experience the magic of live music performances, Tladi added.

ALSO READ: Township jazz giant Zacks Nkosi for box office movie

From Jazz to Maskandi all the way to Hip-Hop, Tladi said the impressive line-up features a wide range of content to cater to various audiences. The music festival will feature artists such as Samthing Soweto, Mandisi Dyantyis, Thandi Ntuli, Stogie T, Dumza Maswana, Phuzekhemisi, Keenan Meyer, Neo Joshua, African Jazz Pioneers, Mahotella Queens and many more.

While the musical experience is the highlight of the event, it has been curated so that families can enjoy a variety of activities for all ages throughout the day. As part of the Arts Alive Festival’s partnership with the Joburg Zoo and The Joburg Theatre, families will have the freedom of movement to explore and view the animals in the zoo and to also participate in all the other experiences the zoo has to offer.

ALSO READ: Joy of Jazz returns to Sandton Convention Centre with the ultimate African jazz experience