Joburg’s Stanley Beer Yard has your weekly jazz fix

The South African jazz scene grew in popularity through performances in nightclubs and other major venues during the 50s. It forms a large part of South African culture and history – through anti-apartheid protests from individuals such as Hugh Masekela and Kippie Moketsi of the Jazz Epistles.

On the first and third Wednesday of every month, Stanley Beer Yard will host the Corona Busking Sessions which draw on jazz’s status as a national art form and part of South African cultural history. Busking sessions were once common occurrences in Johannesburg and there is a pressing need to entrench the local jazz scene and create an interface between real world jazz and practical music education.

The busking sessions will begin with opening performances by young jazz musicians, namely award-winning jazz guitarist Vuma Ian Levin, multi-award-winning bassist Benjamin Jephta, as well as South African Music Award-winners trumpeter Marcus Wyatt and top drummer Peter Auret.

Read: Jazz music comes alive in Braam

After these performances, the busking sessions will be open to all music students and anyone who would like the opportunity to busk along with professional musicians and take the opportunity to play in front of a live audience in a great venue is welcome.

Stanley Beer Yard will host the Corona Jazz Sessions. These live sessions will run on the second and last Sunday of every month and will be hosted by Levin. The concerts will feature an alternative line-up of trios, performing songs from the standard South African and American Jazz repertoire.

Catch the next session on 9 April.

Details: 011 482 5791; stan@stanleybar.co.za

Edited by Stacey Woensdregt

Will you be at the second jazz session on 9 April? What is it about jazz that you love? Let us know by tweeting @City_Buzz_