Forest Jam

Forest Jam is an educational non-profit organization. Its members are young music students, music teachers, veteran master musicians, music business experts and administrators from Southern Africa and Switzerland. The brainchild of Robert Trunz (of world music label Melt 2000), Forest Jam’s educational drive has an emphasis on traditional African music and teaches awareness of the musical heritage of countries in Southern Africa.

Forest Jam was started 2014 by Robert Trunz and Matthias Abächerli. The original Forest Jam Club was founded and is registered in Switzerland. It began with a one-week workshop in the Swiss Alps with music students and musicians from South Africa, Madagascar, the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland. In April 2015, Forest Jam arranged a tour in Madagascar with young and old musicians from Switzerland, Senegal, South Africa and Madagascar.

Forest Jam works with national and international arts organisations like SAMRO and Pro Helvetia, as well as volunteers from the music industry who support the cause of this educational organisation. The board of Forest Jam Southern Africa consists of Madala Kunene, Mabi Gabriel Thobejane, Gontse Makhene, Mamodice Malula, Ntsane Lerato Lichaba, Thobani Mngadi and Robert Trunz (chairperson). Forest Jam Southern Africa operates out of Durban in South Africa.