There are some festivals you attend as a spectator, and then there are festivals that completely immerse you in a world of music, artistry, culture, and incredible people. My first experience covering the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival was certainly the latter. Held annually in Johannesburg, the Joy of Jazz is one of South Africa’s most established jazz festivals, bringing together acclaimed local and international jazz, soul, African and contemporary artists for a celebration of music and culture. For someone who spends so much of my time interviewing artists and telling their stories through Celeb Savant, being able to experience the festival from a media and artist-interaction perspective was particularly special.
My Joy of Jazz journey started before the festival itself, on Thursday, 24 September, when I was invited to an exclusive cocktail party at the Southern Sun to officially launch the event. It was the perfect introduction to the festival and an opportunity to begin diving into the world of Joy of Jazz before the main event kicked off. There was a wonderful atmosphere as artists, media and industry representatives gathered, and I immediately made the most of the opportunity to connect with some of the performers. One of the highlights was meeting Angélique Kidjo (in the picture), whom I had previously interviewed for the Celeb Savant podcast. It was fantastic to reconnect with her and see her again in the lead-up to her Joy of Jazz performance. I also decided to use the evening strategically. Knowing that the following day would be a busy press junket, I took the opportunity to interview six artists while everyone was gathered. From South Africa, I spoke to Nomfusi, GURUlogic, Aus Tebza and DJ Nicky B, while the international artists included Ola Onabule, the British-Nigerian singer-songwriter based in the United Kingdom, and Lorraine Klaasen, the Canadian-based South African-born singer known for her work celebrating African music and culture. It was a fantastic start to the weekend, and getting those interviews done on Thursday meant that I could make better use of my time during the official press junket the following day.
Friday: The Press Junket
Friday, 25 September, was another busy day, beginning back at the Southern Sun for the official Joy of Jazz press junket. This was one of those media days where organisation, timing and teamwork become incredibly important. The available artists moved through the press area, with members of the media taking turns conducting interviews and making sure everyone had an opportunity to speak to the performers. I particularly enjoyed the camaraderie between the media. While we were all there to do our jobs, there was a real sense of community. We formed bonds, chatted between interviews, helped one another keep the flow moving and shared the experience of covering such a major festival.
Among the South African artists I interviewed were Manana, Rochelle Rautenbach, Melanie Scholtz, Ziza Muftic, Paras “Sibalukhulu” Dlamini, Internet Athi and Zawadi Yamungu.
The international contingent provided an incredible range of musical backgrounds and cultures. I interviewed Carmen Souza, the Cape Verdean-Portuguese singer based in Portugal; Orlanda da Conceição, from Mozambique; Anaïs Rosso, from France; Tank and the Bangas, the American group from New Orleans, Louisiana; Ibrahim Maalouf, the Lebanese-French trumpeter and composer; Floatist, the British musician associated with Floetry; and Nubya Garcia, the British saxophonist and composer from London.
With so many artists representing different countries, cultures and musical traditions, the press junket really demonstrated what makes Joy of Jazz such an international celebration of music.
And then, just when I thought the day couldn’t get any busier, it was time to head to the Sandton Convention Centre.
Welcome to Joy of Jazz
Arriving at the Sandton Convention Centre brought an entirely different energy. We were welcomed with incredible hospitality in the Producers Lounge, which became a great base between running around the festival. And when I say running around, I really mean it! With multiple halls and performances taking place, I wanted to experience as much of the festival as possible. I found myself moving between the various halls, catching a few minutes of one performance before heading off to see another artist. It was one of those evenings where you constantly must make decisions about where to be next. As someone who loves live music, that was both exciting and exhausting. By the end of Friday, I was completely exhausted. I had spent the day interviewing artists, interacting with fellow media colleagues, moving between venues, and trying to absorb as much of the festival as possible. Eventually, I admitted defeat and headed home to rest.
Saturday: Back for More
Saturday, 26 September, arrived, and after getting some much-needed rest, I returned to the festival energised and ready for another day.
Once again, I made my way between the various halls, catching glimpses of as many artists as I could. But this time, I also wanted to slow down and enjoy the experience. And one performance I knew I wanted to experience properly was Angélique Kidjo. Having previously interviewed her for the Celeb Savant podcast, there was something particularly special about watching her take to the Joy of Jazz stage.
I finally found a comfortable spot and allowed myself to stop running around for a while and simply enjoy the music. And what a performance it was. Angélique Kidjo was brilliant, bringing her extraordinary energy, musicianship, and stage presence to the festival. After spending so much of the weekend moving between interviews and stages, being able to stand back and simply enjoy an incredible artist doing what she does best was the perfect way to experience the festival.
More Than Just a Festival
My first Joy of Jazz experience reminded me why I love what I do. Yes, there were the interviews. There were the artists, performances, media opportunities, and industry connections. But there was also something bigger happening. The festival brought together musicians from South Africa and around the world, creating opportunities for different cultures, musical styles, and generations to meet through music. For me, it was also about the people behind the scenes — the media colleagues, PR teams, producers, artists, organisers, and everyone working tirelessly to make the weekend happen. I particularly want to give a huge shout-out to the Khaya PR team for a brilliantly organised event and for the collaboration throughout the festival. I left having experienced a celebration of music, culture, collaboration, and the incredible artists who continue to use their voices and instruments to connect people across borders. Until the next festival… keep celebrating live music and the people who make it possible.